Faith
by Kalenath Shok-Tan
Summary: SEVERAL people have asked for something like this. But as always with my work... nothing is quite as it seems. This is set in the Warframe universe of my stories with some... additions. This is a fanfiction. I own none of the rights to Warframe OR Warhammer 40000.
1. Chapter 1

**Aberrant**

He had no name. He had a designation. His designation was 54-YT-87654378-AB. That last little bit was what mattered. He wasn't sure why. But all of the others he could see were treating him as if he had some kind of disease. Did he?

He hadn't seen anything wrong with himself in the few -very few- mirrored surfaces between where his tank had been decanted and the small compartment where his armor had been fitted to him. It...wasn't normal heavy ferrite armor like his kindred. He didn't feel anything wrong. He knew what he was of course. Between the flash learning and the genetic memory, he knew what he was. He was Grineer.

But... something was wrong.

Where the others would butt heads, get into fights and basically try to prove who was the strongest... He was left alone. He had no idea why. He also did not know why they handed him an odd weapon when he stepped forward for weapon's issue. It...wasn't a Grakata, a Karak or anything he knew from his flash training. It looked kind of like an Ogris launcher, but that couldn't be. His flash learning said those were for higher ranks than he had. This looked cheap. Shoddy even. So...

"54-YT-87654378-AB." The voice was the designated commander of the unit he had been decanted into and 54-YT-87654378-AB stepped forward, an arm automatically saluting. The other...did not return it. "Report to Bay Thirty Seven."

"Yes sir." He was Grineer. He obeyed orders. He started off, but his head was whirling as he stepped through the base.

What was going on? Why were they treating him like this? What had he done wrong? Had he done anything wrong. He didn't think so. He moved to an elevator and paused as he saw a terminal nearby. He keyed it live and keyed a quick search. He froze as he saw what his data search came up with.

'Designation 'AB' is for clones whose genes have been deemed 'Aberrant'. They will not be trusted with any sensitive duties. They will not be used for any special services. They will be examined and if possible, used as disposable scouts. If not, their biomatter will be reclaimed to further the cause. Glory to the Queens.'

He jerked and quickly shut down the terminal. He hurried his steps to the elevator and waited as it emptied. None of the other Grineer who had been waiting moved to join him on the elevator and he understood. He was...different. Unclean. He didn't feel any different, but he was. If there was one thing a Grineer did, it was obey orders. Suicidal orders were still orders.

54-YT-87654378-AB's carriage was erect as he marched into the room that had he had been ordered into. But then a blow from the side sent him sprawling. The hum of an Atterax sounded and he bit back a cry of pain as the whip sliced through his shoddy armor and into his arm. His weapon... did not fall from his hand. He did not aim it, but he would _not_ relinquish his weapon. He had been ordered to report, but he was Grineer. He would _die_ before he dropped his weapon.

"Hmmm..." A harsh female voice sounded curious. "Not the usual aberrancy, this one." The whip came in again and sliced clean through his armor again, but his grip tightened on the weapon. "Usually they are begging for mercy by now."

"Get it on the table." A bored female voice said with a sigh. "Now."

The clone looked up to see four female Grineer. Three in armor. A Ballista and two Scorpions. The other...was not in armor. _She_ was fiddling with a bank of machinery. A table with menacing looking devices was nearby. Nothing else in the room.

"I am Grineer." The male clone said savagely. "You will not make me beg."

"Wanna bet?" The unarmored female asked with a smile that was just...wrong. "Get it on the-..." She gave a strangled gasp as the male clone rose and stepped to the table, still with his weapon in hand. Everything stopped as he laid down on it. "Surrender your weapon." She commanded.

"No." The male clone said firmly. Grineer did not surrender. The unarmored female stiffened and her face contorted with rage, but the Ballista spoke first.

"By order of the Queens, you are required to relinquish your weapon for scans." She held out her hands and the male clone handed it to her. The unarmored Grineer stared and then snorted in derision.

"I look forward to hearing you scream." The unarmored female said with glee as the Balista stepped back.

"You will not." The male said as he lay back and restraints clamped around him. All three armored females exchanged glances that the unarmored one missed.

"I will make you scream." The Reclaimer said with a smirk.

"You will _try_."

**Quite a bit later**

The Reclaimer was...pissed. She had done all kinds of things. All kinds of scans. All painful. But despite her best efforts, not a single sound above a grunt had come out of the male clone's mouth.

"I will _not_ be denied by an _aberrant male!_" The Reclaimer snapped, her hands flying over her controls. Energy flailed the supine clone, but he made no sound. "_Scream_ already!"

"Do we have time for this, Reclaimer?" One of the Scorpions asked quietly. The unarmored female Grineer snarled at the armored one and the Scorpion shrugged. "We were detailed to assist you. But this is an inefficient use of time. We have four more aberrant scheduled for scans."

"_Fine_!" The Reclaimer snapped. "Get it _out_ of here!"

The Scorpion stepped to the table as the restraints unlocked, but paused as the male clone rose and stood on his own. He wobbled a bit but stood straight. He looked at the Ballista who nodded and handed him his weapon. The Scorpion jerked her head and the male followed, ignoring the not so quiet cursing that followed him out. They were walking along a corridor when the Scorpion spoke.

"You may be aberrant." The Scorpion said quietly. "But I admit it. You are not weak."

"I serve the Queens." The male said just as quietly. He was Grineer. "Orders?"

"High Command has found a pocket of the Void that can be accessed. Preliminary scans show no life and no movement." The Scorpion sounded distant for a moment. "Did your flash learning cover the Void?"

"Extra-dimensional space." The male clone said quickly. "Remnants of an ancient failed empire still exist in such. Technology to be recovered." He nodded. "I am to scout." It was not a question.

"You are to scout and return." The Scorpion said firmly. "If it _is_ empty, then it will hold treasures for the queens. If it is not, you will not return."

"I serve the queens." The male said, clasping a hand to his chest. His armor had healed most of the damage he had taken. Pain was of no consequence. He would serve.

"Yes." The other said softly. "Yes, you do."

They mismatched pair entered another room and walked towards where a golden device was set. Two female Grineer stood by the device. One held a Vulkar and the other a Manticore axe.

"This one is to scout anomaly 784-B." The Scorpion said calmly.

"Waste time." The female Grineer with the axe said savagely. "No kill there."

"Orders from the Queens, Sprag." The other said with a shrug as she started touching controls. "If they want us to waste our time, we will."

"Grineer obey." The male said calmly. The female Grineer all looked at him. "We are Grineer." He said a bit more firmly. "We obey."

"Good Grineer!" The female with the axe slapped his shoulder with her free hand with enough force to propel him a step before he caught himself. "Strong."

"Bad Grineer." The male said quietly. "But I obey." The two large females looked at the Scorpion who shrugged.

"Scans say he is aberrant." The Scorpion said with a sigh. "He doesn't act it."

"No, he doesn't." The sniper said with a frown. "Ah well."

"Time?" The male asked as he gripped his weapon.

"You have twenty four hours." The Scorpion said firmly as the machine lit up and a huge glowing golden...thing appeared in front of them. "The portal will seal behind you. Scout the area, find out anything you can. Then return to where you entered. The portal will open, but only for a short period. If you are not there..." She shrugged.

"Understood." The male replied. "If the area is a trove, will there be more expeditions?"

"Possibly." The Scorpions said with a frown.

"Blasted stupid thieving Tenno..." The sniper muttered not quite under her breath. "Stealing the queen's keys."

"Shiny bugs." Sprag said with a scowl of her own. "Want to squash more shiny bugs."

The male looked at the Scorpion and she shook her head minutely. He grimaced but did not speak as she led him towards the portal. She stopped a ways from it, but 54-YT-87654378-AB continued.

"For the queens!" The Grineer declared as he stepped into nothingness.

It was... he had no words. Everything was crazy. Everything was upside down, inside out. Then... it was odd. There was a light. A golden light. A figure. Beckoning to him. He stepped forward and the light vanished.

But he was...elsewhere. He had no idea where he was. This...was not what he had expected. The room was... large. Massive even. But... He stared around, weapon ready. The room was empty.

Or was it?

He saw shadows all around, but they were far too large to be humans or humanoid forms. None were moving and as he spun in place, his weapon light coming on, he saw why. They were statues. But...they were odd. Armored forms. But no armor he had seen in any of his flash learning memories. Their weapons as well were odd. Large... outsized. Too big for human hands, even Grineer. So... What?

He scrutinized the weapon. They were... off. But not...wrong. The sword that one of the statues held was huge. It had a grip that wrapped around the hand of the statue holding it. The blade was serrated but too looked...wrong. The pistol in the statue's other hand was huge as well. The bore was as large as an Ogris' and the barrel had a hole drilled in either side. Another statue held a huge sword that was obviously meant for two handed use. It's cross guard looked like wings and the point of the blade was a diamond. Another held a blocky rifle with the same kind of barrel as the pistol, holes in either side. A tubular device of some kind was mounted on top of the rifle. A scope? Maybe. Another had long claws on each armored gauntlet. And on every weapon...

What _was_ that emblem? He stepped forward and scrutinized the weapons. The rifle and pistol, sword and claws all had a an odd insignia. A skull with a wing behind it. This made no sense at all. No weapon he had ever heard of had such insignia.

This was... odd. Very odd. He examined each statue. Some had different armor. One had some kind of cylindrical things attached to each side of its backpack. All of the backpacks had odd sphere like things attached to the tops on either side and what were obviously cooling vents of some kind all over. Power supplies? Maybe. He touched one and it was stone. Statues.

He was so engrossed in examining the statues, since nothing at all was moving in the area, that he nearly missed the glow at first. A golden light grew and he spun, weapon in hand. But... nothing. A door was opening but nothing moved. The glow from the door was golden.

The clone checked his armor chronometer. He had been examining the statues for an hour. An _hour_! He shook his head. Twenty three more before his extraction. And if he went back? Another scouting mission, probably to a worse place. But he followed orders. He started for the door and paused. One of the statues had writing on it. It wasn't a language he knew. He took a holo of it and his onboard systems did a quick check. It came back as an archaic language called _English_? What? But the _translation_...

'Only in death does duty end.'

The clone stood there, staring at the inscription for a long moment. Then he slowly bent down to touch the stone over the inscription.

"Only in death does duty end." The Grineer agreed quietly. Was it his imagination that the statue was glowing faintly? Had to be. He turned to the open door and strode for it, weapon ready. He did nto see a screen on the wall, firmly lit behind the statue he had touched. If he had, he would have reacted. On it, writing in the same language scrolled.

'Data corrupted. Language alterations detected. Altering database. Systems online. Machine spirit ready. For the Emperor and Imperium.'

_All_ of the statues were glowing dimly now.

The clone moved into the short hallway and went still as the door behind him closed! He spun, but it was sealed tight. He stepped back and raised his weapon, but the door looked solid. He was pretty sure the weapon he held was an incendiary launcher of some kind, if very inferior to the ones used by Napalms. It wouldn't even scratch the door. He had to-

Wait a moment! Why was he on his knees? Where was his weapon? What was... he tried to rise and couldn't. A voice sounded, the words were alien to his ears.

"&*()!)(!*( *()(**&$(*$ ?"

"Let! Me! Go!" The clone snapped, rising halfway to his feet before an overwhelming force threw him back to his knees. A beam of energy played over him. He tensed but it did not hurt.

"_Who enters this sacred place?_" The voice was powerful, male but it held command. The phrasing sounded...archaic? "_Speak!_"

"You do not command me!" The Grineer snapped. "I am Grineer! I serve..."A bolt of energy slammed into him and he fought as he had fought the Reclaimer. "I will not submit!" Pain speared through his mind and he fell, but he did not cry out.

"_You speak as a warrior, but you are weak of body. But not of mind._" The male voice said sternly. "_You serve... a queen? No? __**Two**__? What heresy is __**this**__?_" The other demanded.

"I am Grineer!" The clone screamed as he managed to rise despite the power surging through him now. "You will not control me!" The power... cut off.

"_No._" The male voice mused. It was no less powerful, but not angry. "_No, I will not._" The clone felt scrutiny now, but.. not any he had ever encountered. Not hostile. Indeed... measuring. "_They threw you away._"

"I am Grineer!" The clone snapped. "I serve! I obey!"

"_And are the ones who threw you away worthy of your service?_" Was the voice... kind now?

He was moving. Or the corridor was. It was hard to tell. He was... it was...

He jerked awake. He was lying on something as machinery worked around him. The machines looked... sort of human. But not. Not Grineer tech. But... similar?

"Let me go!" 54-YT-87654378-AB snapped, fighting the bonds that held him down. Nothing happened and he saw machinery approaching, ominous blades and saws glistening. "I serve the queens!"

"_But do you __**want**__ to?_" The male voice came from everywhere now. "_Really? They threw you away for nothing more than the fact that you were different. Are they worth your loyalty?"_

"I am Grineer!" The clone declared as machinery closed in. "I...Serve..." A beam of energy was playing across his face now and he sagged in his bonds. "I..."

"You are brave, strong and loyal." The other voice gentled even more. "You will serve. Me."

The Grineer was trying to fight as pressure mounted on his skull, as energy played over his extremities. But then... it all went away. He was standing... He stared up and up and _**up**_ at the figure seated on the huge pyramidal throne. The huge pyramidal _golden_ throne.

"I..." The Grineer swallowed hard.

"_What do you wish?_" The voice was commanding again. It was coming from the form on the throne!

"To do the right thing." The Grineer said slowly. "To... be a warrior... for good."

"_Kneel._" The voice commanded and the Grineer found himself on one knee. "_You will serve._"

"I... will serve." The Grineer bowed his head. "My Emperor."

"_You must be trained._" The voice said sharply. "_You will learn all we can teach you. Then you will go forth and fell the enemies of the Imperium. Beware the traitor, the mutant, the heretic. All of these and more will test you. All of these will assail you. But you will stand firm._"

Suddenly the voice was everywhere. Half a dozen huge forms stepped forward. Larger than even the largest Grineer. All male, all with eyes of fire, weapons in hand. As one, they nodded.

_**'They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them and in the furnace of war forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest guns will they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them. They will have tactics, strategies and machines such that no foe can best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Space Marines and they shall know no fear.'**_

The portal activated and none went through it. The waiting Grineer on the other side wrote the scout off. In retrospect, not a wise move., but very Grineer.

The former Grineer twitched as he lay on the Apothacarium slab, energy playing into his mind as his body was...refurbished.

_We shall know no fear..._

* * *

><p>NOT my work.<p>

Quote from Codex Space Marines:5th Edition

Warhammer 40000 and all associated works are property of Games Workshop.


	2. Chapter 2

**Becoming**

The scout held his breath, willed his heart to slow and slowly, so slowly, squeezed the trigger. The long, heavy weapon in his hands functioned as it had been built and a thousand meters away, an enemy Commander fell, his chest in pieces. The scout, his mission accomplished, slunk back into the pipe from which he had accessed the area. He paused as the holographic training area around him -complete down to the _smell_ from the sewer pipe he traversed- faded and he stood up in the holo training room.

"The mission was not done." The scout said quietly. "The test was not complete."

"You hit the target and they never saw you. There were no enemies in position to detect your exfiltration." The voice of one of his trainers spoke from nowhere. He wasn't sure if the speaker was AI or corporeal. It didn't really matter. "One careful shot can do the work of thousands. Continue."

The scout did not bother to reply. He strode to a rack and laid the sniper rifle in it. A servitor approached, another weapon in its mechanical hands. The scout took the Godwyn pattern boltgun and examined it quickly. Fully loaded. The servitor held out a pack of ammunition and the scout slung it without a word. A pouch of grenades was also slung from it. The servitor withdrew and the scout waited.

The room vanished and he stood in the midst of a war torn city. He crouched beside a ruined wall and scanned the area with passive sensors and eyes both.

"Orders?" He asked over the vox channel.

"Enemy forces ahead." The reply was immediate. "They are attempting to access a cogitator that holds classified technology." The scout nodded. That would not stand. "Destroy them."

"Enemy numbers?" That was for planning purposes. Numbers meant little more than that. "And is machine required to be functional?"

"Twenty and yes." The reply was immediate again. The scout nodded. The hard way it was. He couldn't just lob grenades from cover or it would damage or destroy the critical machinery. He had to pull the bulk of them away.

"Moving." The scout said as he slid away from his cover. An icon appeared in his vision and the scout froze, trusting his holographic camouflage to hide him from the enemy's sight. It worked. No fire sought him. He slid into cover a bit closer to the enemy force and his weapon was tracking as a small group of enemies appeared. Five of them. They were...familiar.

_Grineer_... The thought did not bother the scout. They were enemies of Man. They would be ended. Mankind would be protected. He felt no emotion at all as he took his weapon off 'safe' and took up slack on the trigger.

The five strong patrol of Grineer reacted instantly to the four shot burst as one of their number went down. All sought cover and the shooter. Only one could see where the shots had come from and that one was drawing a bead as a small object fell at his feet. His scream and the explosion of the grenade drew the enemy's attention, but it was too late. Precise four shot bursts tore each and every Grineer apart. Then the scout turned to where... He went still as _ten_ Grineer boiled up and out of the building in question. He slid back into the ruin he was covering in and let them pass. As the last who passed his position at a run, he slid up behind and a razor sharp combat knife slid through even a Heavy Gunners massive plate like it was made of tin foil. The female Grineer fell without a sound, dead before she hit the ground. He could kill these. He reloaded automatically even though he had ammunition left in his magazine. These were not his mission yet.

The scout slid forward at a crouch. He had moments before the enemy realized that their compatriot was not following them, but neutralizing an enemy heavy weapon was rarely a bad thing. He paused in cover at the wall and peered in. Two of the enemy were working on a cogitator system. The others were on guard, but none were looking his way. Made sense. The whole force of Grineer had just run out where he was about to slide in. They had no idea what they were facing. At their base, Grineer were clones of humans. Not quite human, but at the basic level? Still human. Prosthesis and weapons they might have, but they _were_ human. The scout was _not_.

None of the guards heard anything as the scout slid forward, his knife ready. But then a shout came from outside. The lost patrol member had been found. All eyes turned... to him. They froze. He did not. The combat knife flew, taking one of the stunned Grineer in the eyehole of his helmet. He fell without a sound and the boltgun roared. One, two, three enemies fell before the other could even raise his weapon. The scout dove to the side as flame scorched through where he had been, but his aim was true and the last Grineer fell, a smoking hole where his chest had been. Then the scout spun, hands going to the grenade pouch. He could see movement and fired without aiming cleanly. A high pitched scream sounded and he pulled a grenade from his pouch, arming and throwing it in a single sinuous movement. Several voices gave a cry that was suddenly stilled with the small explosion.

Then it was all fire and fury. The scout took hits to his armor, but none debilitating. Most of the fire missed. His _own_ fire, by contrast, rarely missed and each hit killed. The boltgun was the Space Marine's weapon of choice, firing a .998 caliber round that was a self propelled armor piercing _rocket_ with a charge of high explosive that detonated _inside_ an enemy. Few foes could withstand such firepower. He reloaded once, emptied the magazine, then reloaded again.

Then... it was over. No more fire was coming in. Only a few groans of pain sounded. Nothing more. The scout poked his head up, but no one shot at him. One of the Grineer was pulling herself away, her arm hanging loose from where a bolter round had clipped it and exploded outside. She was crippled, but not dead. The scout reclaimed his knife and rose, boltgun ready. The Grineer stared up at him, fear plain on her face through the faceplate shattered by the bolt's explosion.

"The enemies of Man will fall before us." The scout said firmly as he set his boltgun to 'single shot' and fired a careful round. He did not watch as she fell still, her head a shattered mess. He turned and stalked back to the computer building, shooting two more Grineer as he passed them. "Mission accomplished."

The holographic terrain vanished and he moved to unload his boltgun and rack it as he had been trained. He waited for a servitor to bring him a new weapon, but none came.

"Next scenario?" He asked. But instead of the training systems...

"Training is finished." The voice of one of the training masters came and the scout knelt. "Rise, brother." The scout met the eyes of the huge human form who stood by one wall, eyeing him. But this being was not human. Not in the slightest. Size was the least of his advantages over regular humans. "Have you chosen?"

"I have, Primarch." The scout said quietly as he rose to his feet. "I will destroy the enemies of Man. I will defend Man from all foes."

"This universe's Terra has fallen." The Primarch said quietly. "This world... is not ours. But one truth remains. The Emperor protects."

"The Emperor protects." The scout repeated, bowing his head. "I am honored to have trained under you, Roboute Guilliman. Orders?"

"Our father wishes you in the main chamber." The Primarch of the Ultramarines said with a nod. The scout nodded and started off as the holo of the Primarch faded.

Twenty Primarchs had been created from the Emperor of Mankind's genetic material. Many had been lost mysteriously. Some suspected the Ruinous Powers' work, others the Emperor himself. No one truly knew what had happened. They had been found during a Great Crusade to reunite Mankind under the Emperor's banner. But then disaster had struck. Fully _half_ of the Legions that had comprised the Great Crusade had been swayed by evil and turned against the Emperor, led by Horus, the Emperor's own warmaster. The Horus Heresy had spilt the galaxy, leaving many worlds burnt in its wake. Many evils had risen in the time since the Emperor fell defeating Horus. It was a time of great grim darkness. A time of heroes among vast multitudes. A time of villainy and heroism. It was a time where the only truth was war.

There was only war.

The scout knew this. He had been educated. Listening to Leman Russ, the Primarch of the Space Wolves, tell tales of battle and glory. Training at a forge with Vulkan, the Primarch of the Salamanders. Riding across a dozen world with Jaghatai Khan, the Primarch of the White Scars. Building fortifications with Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists. Tearing fortifications down with Ferrus Manus, Primarch of the Iron Hands. Debating law with Lion El'Jonson, Primarch of the Dark Angels. Discussing faith with Sanguinius, Primarch of the Blood Angels. Studying science with Corvus Corax, Primarch of the Raven Guard. He had learned... so much. But he was still young.

He stood tall and strong as he entered the main chamber and the Emperor looked down on him from his golden thrown. The scout knelt as was proper. The Custodes, the Emperor's guards, stood at the base of the pyramid, as always. Solemn, silent and lethal beyond belief.

"You command, I obey, My Emperor." The scout said calmly.

"_Rise, my son._" The Emperor's voice was not...quite right. Then again, the only thing keeping him alive at all was the golden throne on which he sat. The scout did as ordered. "_You have chosen?_"

"I have, my Emperor." The scout said with a nod.

"_There are allies to be found in this fallen universe._" The Emperor said heavily. "_Other defenders of Man."_

"Orders?" The scout asked quietly.

"_Take up your mantle, my son._" The Emperor replied. "_Defend humanity. You will find allies and enemies. You will serve as the Adeptus Asartes always have. My Angels of Death. What Chapter banner will you fight under?"_

"I will be as the Primarch Sanguinius commanded." The scout said as servitors appeared. He did not move as his light Scout armor was removed, leaving him to stand clad only in the Black Carapace that would provide his nervous system with access to his power armor. Other servitors approached, each bearing blood red colored pieces of what would be his new home. "I serve the Sons of Baal. I will rend the enemies of Man, tear them limb from limb. My rage demands surcease. The betrayals we have all suffered demand satisfaction."

"_Be wary, my son._" The Emperor said heavily. "_For your rage and hate will destroy you if you let it. Be true to yourself._"

"Be true to the Codex." The voice of Roboute Guilliman spoke from the side, but the scout did not turn as his chest armor was applied and sealed against his flesh. The high collar of the Mark VIII armor hindered him a little, but not much and would provide great protection against enemy fire. The Black Carapace burned. It hurt, but it was needed. He did not cry out. He would not. He was Adeptus Asartes. "For honor and Emperor."

"I will be true." The newly promoted Space Marine said with a tiny nod.

"Be swift. Be strong. Be as the wind." Jaghatai Khan said as the Marine's arm armor was sealed.

"Indeed. Be as the North Wind." Leman Russ, for once solemn, spoke quietly. "Hard and cruel. Blow your enemies from your path." He said as the gauntlets were sealed.

"Be as a rock for your enemies to break upon." Rogal Dorn said in his gravelly voice. "Use what you have learned to be a defender of Mankind." He stated as the pauldrons were attached and sealed in place with their heraldry of a drop of blood and white wings.

"Learn what you can." Corvus Corax spoke quietly as the upper leg armor was applied. "But know your place."

"I am a Space Marine of the Adeptus Asartes." The Marine said calmly. "No more, no less."

"Beware pride." Lion El'Jonson said firmly as the lower leg and boot armor was applied. "It goeth before a fall. Any can fall prey to hubris. Even Primarchs."

"_Even an Emperor._" Came the voice from the throne.

"Trust your wargear." Ferrus Magnus said with a firmness that might have bent ceramite as the knee protectors were sealed in place. "Take care of your tools and they will take care of you. Flesh is weak."

"Iron is strong." The Marine said with resolve. "I will be as iron."

"Indeed." Vulkar's voice held grim pride as the massive backpack was fitted to the back of the armor. "You will do honor to the Emperor."

"I will do what must be done." The Marine replied as a servitor extended a boltgun to him. Not a standard model. This was larger and had a box magazine, but it was still a boltgun. Symbol of the Imperium and signature weapon of the Imperial Space Marines. Umbra Ferrox pattern, his teaching called it. A rare and precious relic. He would care for it as his life, for it was. Without his bolter, he was nothing.

"_You will have no support. Limited tech base and even more limited resources._" The Emperor said quietly. "_But you will prevail. Sangiunius?_"

"Indeed, my father." The Primarch of the Blood Angels stepped forward. "brother, you have chosen to follow my path. It is... a difficult one. The Black Rage can take any of mine. Beware, bother. A powerful weapon, but a deadly danger as well." He held out a blood red helmet as the Marine slung his boltgun. The Marine bowed his head as he took the helmet. "Only one thing remains. "What must we call you, brother?"

"The Enemy called me 'AB', a title meant to denigrate. To show their power over me." The Marine said as he turned the helmet over in his hands. "Now they have none. I am _Abrahaim_, a battle brother of the Blood Angels Chapter of the Adeptus Asartes." He placed the helmet on his head and it was dark, but only for a moment as the systems came online.

Readouts flashed before his eyes, all in the green. Weapons status changed as other weapons were added to his personal arsenal. Pistol, sword, grenades. Tools. These were mere tools. The true weapon was what resided _inside_ the armor.

"_Your mission, battle brother Abrahaim, is to find and protect the remnants of humanity in this fallen universe. Some will fear you. Some will revere you. Do not falter. Do not look aside._" The Emperor commanded and Abrahaim knelt again, his armor whining as servo motors took the strain. It felt as if he were kneeling in cloth instead of heavy power armor. "_You will find allies and enemies aplenty. What little we can do has been done. Whatever comes, you are my son. My Angel of Death. And I know you will do me and the Imperium proud."_

When the Marine looked up, the room was silent. The throne and the Primarchs were gone. He nodded and rose. He had a duty. To formulate any strategy, he would need information.

"Information request." The Marine said as he strode from the room into another. A tiny armory, but sufficient for his needs. "Status of systems?" He asked as he walked to a terminal.

-Armory schematics database at capacity. Further resources needed to build specialized equipment. Ammunition stocks full.- The machine spirit replied calmly.

"Good." The Marine said as he worked the controls, seeking, perusing, discarding plans and strategies. "System has been...changed. Access to transportation?"

-Limited- The machine spirit replied.

"Demographics?" The Marine asked. "What opposition am I facing?"

-The Primary enemy are Grineer. Degenerate clones.- The Marine made a digusted noise and the machine spirit showed an image. It... was familiar. -Traitors, mutants and heretics all.-

"I was one of these before the Emperor found me." The Marine mused. "A traitor... I will redeem my honor. Next?"

-A machine cult.- An image of a boxy headed Corpus crewman appeared. -Weak in body, but strong in technology.-

"Tell me they don't pray to the Ommnissiah..." The Marine groaned. "The Techmarines are bad _enough_."

-They seek profit and technology equally.- The machine replied. -The last group are...- The Marine reached for his weapons as he saw the image.

"Daemons!" The Marine said flatly, staring at images of Infested. "Foul minions of the Warp. This system needs help indeed." The Ruinous Powers of Chaos and their warpspawn had wrought untold havoc on the Imperium over the millenia. But... "No..." He relaxed. "Not deamons, but _close_. Beasts of flesh and sinew. Flesh can be torn. Sinew cut. Do they hunger as Tyranids?"

Another deadly threat in the 41st millennia of the Emperor and his Space Marines. Alien monsters that consumed all life they encountered.

-Unknown.- The machine spirit replied.

"Well then, my orders are to help save this system." The Marine said with a shrug. "Time to get to work. Are there any defenders of Man fighting to preserve humanity?"

-Yes. A powerful psyker is among them, the Emperor sensed her.-

"Put me in contact with this psyker. And what are these defenders called?" The Marine asked as he scanned through filed, seeking searching, planning at light speed.

"They are called Tenno."

* * *

><p><strong>A little later<strong>

_**What**__ did you say?_ The Lotus was not normally one to be blindsided. She saw a lot, knew a lot. But this...

_We have a problem.._. Janet also wasn't one to freak, but... _He said he is going to attack the Grineer. Asked our assistance. But...I got the feeling he will do it either way._

_And why did he contact __**you**__?_ The Lotus wasn't sure of this at all. _And __**what**__ did he say he was?_

_He said he had been given my contact information by another psyker, whatever that is. He said his name was Brother Abrahaim of the Blood Angels Chapter of the Adeptus Asartes._ Janet sounded as dumbfounded as the Lotus felt. _Whatever the hell __**that**__ means. I... was kind of hoping you knew. _The Oracle said with a verbal wince. _You don't._

_No._

_Oh... dear..._


	3. Chapter 3

**There is only war**

Grineer were many and strong. They had the largest military force in the Solar System. Their numbers grew on a daily basis. Their ships were huge and carried multitudes of clones. Their society, such as it was, made sure that the only survivors of their 'training' were the biggest, strongest and toughest being in the solar system who traced their ancestry to humans, despite their loud protest of being 'better'.

There were foes they could not beat of course, although any Grineer caught whispering of that was usually punished up to and including Atterax whippings. But all Grineer knew of the Tenno. They held the Corpus desire to use robotics instead of men in disdain, but their own troops understood. The Corpus weapons were mighty even if their leaders were mostly cowards who sent brainwashed soldiers to die as callously as they would send robotics. Maybe more callously. Humans bred quickly, if not as quickly as Grineer, then quickly. Robotics were expensive to build and maintain, humans soldiers? Not so much. Maybe eventually, the Corpus would start cloning too.

Then there were the _Infested_. To any Grineer soldier, the _less_ said about them, the better. Whether they were semi-sentient biological weapons or simply some form of alien beast, no Grineer actually cared. They were vermin to be exterminated. Unless _they_ did the exterminating. In which case... Well, the less said about _that_ the better. Grineer marines got some _nasty_ jobs on occasion, but all had seen or seen records of clearing Infested hives. Yuck.

But _this_...

It was supposed to be a routine mission. Go to a habitat buried deep within the mantle of Mercury and find a hidden human settlement. Humans bred like cockroaches and you could never get rid of them all. Which was probably a good things since no Grineer wanted to actually _work_. They were soldiers, not factory workers. That was for slaves, and there was always a surplus of humans for the slave pens. It didn't matter how old they were or in what shape. You caught them, clamped restraints on them and shipped them off. Simple.

But... not this time.

_Something_ was hunting the Grineer through these tunnels. Which was just plain _wrong_. Grineer were the strongest. Everyone knew this. Well, every _Grineer_ knew this. Some might whisper of Tenno, but... this wasn't Tenno. No one had any idea _what_ it was, except for a brief, garbled report of a giant in red armor simply _appearing_ in the middle of a command center. A report that had cut off in mid-word. By the time reinforcing troops had reached the command center, less than five minutes in the cramped tunnel... There had been _nothing_ left except _bodies_. And the _state_ of the bodies...!

Every Grineer knew of the Tenno love affair with archaic bladed weapons. Some might denigrate it quietly. Some might mock it loudly. But every Grineer knew of the damage caused by sharp blades. This...was different.

Grineer armor was designed to be impervious to most weapons. So... The small holes that had been punched in some of the armor made sense. To a point. Some form of armor piercing ammunition. No big deal. Except that whatever had penetrated Grineer armor as if it was made of cheap plastic had then _exploded_! None of the Grineer who had seen the bodies would talk about them, but more than a few had seen the holos of the ammunition casing that had been scattered around the area. _Big_ casings. Those holos had also shown Grineer bodies that looked sort of as if they had been sawn in _half_. Which wasn't possible. Saws wouldn't get through Grineer armor. Right? The best term any had heard was 'gore-fest'. It took a _lot_ to make a Grineer marine puke, but a couple _had_. And now? Their orders were 'Find the unknown assailant and neutralize.'

There was just one _minor_ little problem. They were _not_ the only ones hunting.

* * *

><p><strong>A tunnel much like any other<strong>

"There! There!" A Commander called just before something went 'crack' against his armor and he fell over, a huge hole blown through his helmet. As his twenty clone strong team turned, seeking enemies, one of them screamed as a tiny oval thing landed at his feet. The scream cut off with the explosion that tore his armored form apart. The collateral damage claimed three more of them.

"Fall _back_!" The sergeant snapped. This was _not_ a normal order for Grineer. But then again, this was _not_ a normal situation. "Stay close to the walls!"

He was starting to speak again when a flash in the near distance had several of the Grineer turning. He died, order unspoken as several lights illuminated the _huge_ figure in blood red armor that was _charging_ them. The huge pistol fired again and another clone died. But most of their attention was on the _enormous_ sword it held in one hand. That huge weapon came to life in a whirring of teeth and suddenly the Grineer _knew_ why the bodies in the command center had looked sawn apart. They _had_ been.

"For the _Emperor_" The figure declared as his pistol flashed again, the bark preceding the head of a Heavy Gunner simply ceasing to _be_. "_Death!_"

You had to give the Grineer credit for _guts_ if not _sense_. _Some_ might have survived if they had run. But they could not. They had been ordered to fight. They _tried_. It made no difference. _Their_ fire sparked off the monster's armor and _his_ weapon blew right through _their_ armor like it wasn't even there. Then he was in melee range and all they could do was _die_.

* * *

><p><strong>Twenty minutes later<strong>

"Holy crap..."

None of the Grineer Marines had seen anything like this. The... ambush had taken the previous patrol by surprise. Grineer were always the ones who won. Or so the propaganda said. Hushed whispers of Tenno or others were disciplined heavily when heard by higher ranks, but it did not stop them. And the scene that their lights illuminated was right out of a nightmare.

The _company_ of clones -100 strong- had come to find the missing patrol and they had _found_ it. What was _left_ of it. Grineer bodies lay every which way. Twenty one of them. Several were in pieces. Others had the same distinctive holes blown in them. The odd shell casings lay here and there, but apparently, this enemy didn't use his ranged weapon much. He apparently didn't _need_ to.

"By the Queens." One of the Commanders bent over and his faceplate opened just in time as he was nosily sick. More than one of the other Grineer did the same. They were the strongest. Or...they _had_ been. This... "What the _hell_...happened here?"

"Sir!" One of the Marine toed a body aside and knelt, his light illuminating something. "What is..."

"Don't _touch_ that!" His Commander snapped. Too late.

As explosions went, it wasn't that big. The problem was... the tunnel that the ambush had taken place in was very close to something that few people wanted to be close to. Even the highest tech shielding had difficulty containing molten magma. When said molten magma was under pressure? Worse. The explosion tore a microscopic hole in the wall of the tunnel, the backblast throwing the unfortunate trooper off his feet as his Commander screamed at him.

"What the _hell_ _**were**_... you..." The Commander's eyes went huge under his helmet as safety doors slammed down at either end of the tunnel and he swallowed hard as he heard a hissing. "Oh..."

Whatever _else_ he was going to say was cut off as a high pressure stream of molten magma literally tore its way into the tunnel. Grineer armor was strong. Not _that_ strong. None of the clones even had time to _scream_.

Only one clone had been outside of the doors when they sealed and that Heavy gunner was stunned by the sudden shift. One moment, she and her company had been ready to do damage in the name of the queens. Now all of them but her were _dead_. Before she could gather her wits, a growling hum sounded close at hand and she screamed as something tore through her right arm. A blow sent her to the floor where she stared up at a huge red thing. It was shaped kind of like a human. But the eyes... Green teardrops on a blood red helmet. She was struggling to raise her Gorgon one handed as the red armored monster lashed out with his whirring blade again, tearing her _other_ arm off at the elbow.

"The enemies of Man will fall before us." The monster said calmly in perfect Grineer as it raised its pistol. A pistol that was far too large for a human to carry or use. The maimed Heavy Gunner spit at him and a flash was the last thing she saw.

* * *

><p><strong>An impromptu command post<strong>

"_How_ many causalities?" The voice of the task force commander was incredulous.

"So far, two hundred and sixty, sir." The Grineer captain said calmly. His superior had demanded contact so he had done so. Even if he wanted nothing more than to leave these tunnels. He really felt anything but calm. This could not be happening. "Whoever it is, they are targeting command and control first. They are fast and precise."

"I want _results_, not _excuses_, Captain." The task force leader said in a dangerous tone. "I want to know who is doing this and I want them _dead_."

"Whoever is doing this, sir..." The Captain said calmly. "They are using the terrain to their advantage. No scans have been recorded except some fragments from helmet cams that are... frankly... unbelievable."

"I dislike your tone, Captain." The other said sharply. "Are you... _afraid_ of this... this thing?"

"I would say..." The Captain chose his words carefully. "Respectful. Whatever this thing is... it is _not_ weak. I doubt it is human. The few images we have of it are human shaped, but far larger than any base. Larger than any Grineer." He shook his head. "If you command it I will continue to send troops in. I obey orders and we have troops to spare. But we will be wasting our time."

"How so?" The superior Grineer's tone might have frozen an ocean.

"The weapons and tactics this enemy is using are not in any of our databases." The Captain said with a sigh. "We cannot predict what this enemy will do. It is using guerilla tactics, striking as it wishes. We need to take the initiative and..."

He paused. What was that sound? He spun and screamed as the razor sharp teeth on the oddly shaped sword cut deep into his armor. Before he could even think to draw a weapon, the enemy was gone. The captain fell, his lifeblood seeping out. He stared at the lifeless bodies of his guards, slain silently while he was distracted.

"Captain!" The voice of his superior came from far away. "What is happening! Report or I will have you flayed!"

"Too late..." The captain managed to groan. "Targeting... command... I..."

"Captain! Report!" The Task Force leader commanded, but he captain was beyond hearing. Then a small explosive charge destroyed the powerful transmitter that was the only connection to Grineer HQ from the tunnels, cutting the Grineer still in the tunnels off from command. From any _chance_ of escape or reinforcement.

* * *

><p>It was insane. No one but Tenno attacked Grineer on anything even remotely <em>close<em> to equal footing. This... This was _not_ a Tenno. It was far, far larger. But it moved kind of like one. And the ways it killed... The pistol and rifle that did _not_ miss and blew through the toughest of armor as if it were made of archaic wood pulp paper. The sword with the whirring teeth that cut through ferrite armor like old style cheese. The explosives, the traps...

It wasn't a battle anymore. It was a _rout_. Grineer did not flee. So they fought. And they died.

Finally, the red armored giant finished his grim work. The tunnels were silent. He nodded soberly and keyed for transport.

**An hour later**

"Holy crap..."

Aeron's soft, stunned voice unknowingly mimicked the commander of the doomed Grineer patrol as he and Two stared around the scene of carnage. As far as their sensors could see, nothing lived in the tunnels the Grineer had invaded. They had been set to recon, to ascertain who or what had contacted the Oracles. But neither had expected _this_!

"What _did_ this..." Two knelt by a Grineer body and whistled in awe. "This...wasn't a Tenno blade. This... looks like _tooth_ marks! But.. metal?"

"I am reading...energy signatures..." Aeron said as he scanned the area. "Not Orokin portal traces, but... close... Very close. No way to trace." He knelt by another body and examined the wounds. "Whoever it was, was using armor piercing explosive ammunition of some kind. Nasty."

"Could one of our weapons do this?" Two asked, bow in hand.

"Maybe."Aeron said with a shrug. "But why _would_ we? This looks like the ammunition was purposely designed expressly to penetrate before exploding. Not as efficient as some of ours."

"Effective enough." Two said with a sigh. She bent down and picked up a small cylindrical metal thing. "This is... odd."

"A shell casing?" Aeron said slowly. It was big, the size of a small drink can. The marks on it were odd to say the least. Two wings around a skull. He looked from the casing to the wounds on the dead Grineer and nodded. "_Big_ rounds. And..." He paused, looking around. "Oh dear..."

"What?" Two demanded.

"How many shell casings do you see in this area?" Aeron asked as he tapped the dead Grineer's armor. "Two rounds hit this Grineer." He moved to one side and nodded as he bent down and picked up two more of the odd casings. "Shooter was standing here when he fired. Rock floor, no footprints. Snuck right up on them. They never saw him until he fired. I think... single shots. Wow._ Very_ good shooting. Very precise." Two went still. For the clan _sniper_ to say something like that...

"You think it is an ally?" Two said slowly. "I mean... whoever it was didn't like the Grineer much."

"Who _does_? I _hope_ it is an ally, Two." Aeron said with a shrug. "I certainly do not want to _fight_ this guy. Sneaky, well trained and well armed. And from the marks on the walls? Well armored. We better get lost. You know what the Grineer will do."

"Yeah." Two said sourly. "Five hundred wasn't enough. Next they will send a _thousand_."

"Against this guy?" Aeron said with a shrug as the two Tenno started for the exit. "I am betting on our unknown."

"Seriously?" Two asked, her tone not really dubious. The evidence all around said that their unknown was very capable.

"Think about it, Two." Aeron said softly. "Where are the human settlements?" Two went still and Aeron nodded. The closest hidden human settlement was five hundred kilometers away from the mining tunnels that had been turned into an abattoir. "He drew the Grineer away into empty tunnels to tear them apart. He knew what he was doing. I bet he knows how the Grineer are going to respond and if so... he will be prepared."

"And they don't know what happened either, do they?" Two asked as they made their way to where their Lisets waited.

"Not according to the chatter we picked up." Aeron agreed as he stepped into his ship. "We need to find this guy. Talk to him. Like I say, I really hope he is on our side. Fighting this guy would not be fun at _all_."

"True." Two said as she entered her own ship.

* * *

><p><strong>Elsewhere<strong>

"Damage report." Abrahaim said as soon as he materialized in the armory. "I took hits." That was an understatement. While he had avoided much of the fire that had sought him, he had been caught in several explosions. His armor had held. The Grineer armor? Not so much.

-All armor systems operating at capacity.- The machine spirit said calmly. -Damage is superficial. Erase from armor?- It queried. Abrahaim paused and then nodded.

"Yes." The Space Marine said with a sigh. "Scars of combat are to be worn with pride, but the psychological effect of an enemy that is utterly impervious to damage is extreme as well. Grineer are disciplined to the point of unthinking. I need to shatter their sense of..." He paused as a red light appeared on one wall. "Status?" He moved to a wall as several beams of golden energy played over his armor and keys a screen alive.

-Monitors of channels have detected a heretic assault about to progress. They seek to enslave Men to their cult.- The machine spirit said calmly as the blood red armor was restored to pristine. -They report a Tenno in the area. But injured or damaged.-

"This will _not_ stand." The Space Marine snapped as he reloaded his weapons. "Status on heavier weapons?" A display shone nearby and he nodded. "Keep at it. I want some heavy support. The Grineer will regroup and alter tactics. Not even clones are completely clueless. And I am about to introduce myself to new set of enemies. Switch to Tempest Bolts. They will fear my wrath."

* * *

><p><strong>Venus<strong>

She had done everything right. Everything. She had gone as ordered. Done what she was ordered. But her team had run off and left her. Any sniper was vulnerable when looking through the scope of their weapon and Karen had been engrossed in her scope view for just a moment too long. Just long enough for an Oxium Osprey to slam into her, disabling key systems. She fought. It was what she did, what she was. Inside, she was cursing the fools she had been ordered to work with. Snipers were slow. They couldn't keep up with speed obsessed jerkoffs.

Her vision was fading as she saw Corpus Crewmen approaching. If they took her... She had a weapon in hand and it was spitting defiance, but... her systems were failing. She was bleeding out. She was...

"_For the Emperor!_"

Karen could only stare as a huge blood red form moved to stand over her, the humongous weapon in his hands spitting defiance at the Corpus, shredding them. She was... It was...

She fell into blackness, but a golden force held her. It was...gentle.


	4. Chapter 4

**You are kidding...**

The Corpus had more brains than the Grineer. Of course, an old Earth eggplant generally had more brains than the average Grineer. The Corpus were smarter than vegetables. They knew an impossible battle when they saw one. But... the Board had demanded any Tenno artifacts -or _Tenno_- to be their property. And no one sane tried to deny the Board their property. So the soldiers were stuck.

They had to take the Tenno or their lives and monies were forfeit. But the huge red..._thing_ that stood over the Tenno, it's odd weapon spitting defiance, was not anything in their databanks. Their scanners could not get a good reading on it. Their MOAs had no chance against it. Every time one appeared, it sparked and fell over. Whatever ammunition the rifle was using, it was designed to destroy robotics and shields. So... they tried another approach. They contact their HQ for instructions.

Abrahaim stood over the fallen Tenno, unsure about what to do. He was no Apothecary. His talent was ending lives, not restoring them. From the data available to him, Tenno were not humans, more than human. Kind of like him actually but augmented by means unknown to him. He might have knee jerked in reaction on seeing odd almost Elder style armor, but the Emperor had commanded he work with the defenders of humanity here and Tenno _were_ those defenders. So this...female... Yes, a female from the anatomy, was a battle sister. Not -quite- an Adeptes Sororitas, but close. Not a Daughter of the Emperor, but a defender of humanity. That was enough.

A burst of static over the vox channel heralded someone attempting to contact him. He ignored it. There were no battle brothers in this odd place. He had no allies. He was alone, but he was Adeptus Asartes. He had a mission and that was all that mattered. Another odd machine moved into view and a bolter shot ended it. No more enemies were approaching. This...was not good. They were thinking. Planning.

Abrahaim slung his bolter, bent down and scooped the fallen warrior up in one arm, his bolt pistol held in one hand.

"Stop!" The authoritative voice was loud, but the speaker was not visible. "We are not enemies."

"You are an enemy of Man." Abrahaim retorted evenly as he took a step back. "We are enemies."

"What?" The voice actually seemed to gibber. But then again, twenty Corpus crewman and at least twice as many robotics lay in positions of violent death around the area. "I do not understand."

"Good." Abrahaim said sternly. "Forsake this heresy and the Emperor will forgive. Come out where I can see and I will grant you a swift death."

For once, a Corpus executive was struck completely speechless. Most Corpus were fanatics, true. Brainwashed to be such. But _this_? This was fanaticism far, far beyond anything even the Corpus knew.

"We do not understand." The voice persisted. "What do you mean? What Emperor?" It paused as Abrahaim growled. "We do not understand!"

"You are attempting to delay me." The Space Marine said firmly, cradling the Tenno close. "Bad idea."

"We cannot let you go." The voice declared. "Profit is paramount."

"Your profits are meaningless to me." The Blood Angel took another step back. Retreat was abhorrent, but a tactical necessity as outnumbered as he was. Almost far enough. "My mission _will_ be accomplished."

"_What_ mission?" The other demanded, ire rising. "What do you want?"

"What I _want_ is meaningless." Abrahaim said sternly. "I have a mission and I will accomplish it. When next we meet, cultist, you will profit. I will show you the truth. You will accept the Emperor's blessing."

"_What_ Emperor?" The other snapped. "You make no sense! You cannot escape."

"I already have." Abrahaim said as he stepped off the edge of the platform.

Regular Space Marine armor was not designed to fly. He didn't need to. He keyed his backpack mounted teleport unit as the Corpus ran to the edge of the platform to see... nothing. He had vanished and the few energy traces faded before any could read them clearly. The Executive would not be happy. The Board likewise.

**Several teleports later**

"Apothecary!" Abrahaim snapped as he materialized in the armory. "Now!"

-Security has been breached- The machine spirit said sharply. -That one is not authorized...- Abrahaim cut it off with a wave.

"This one is wounded, perhaps mortally, perhaps not. My orders were to find and assist other defenders of man. This is one." Abrahaim said with snarl as he stepped into a small room and laid the Tenno down on a familiar table. "Help it. Now. I will determine our next point of attack."

-As you command- If machines could sulk, this one definitely was. -Life signs detected. Energy residue is...- It paused. When it spoke again, it's voice was awed. -Residual psychic energies detected. Similar to what was detected before.- Abrahaim froze.

"What before?" The Space Marine demanded. "With the Emperor?"

-Affirmative.- the machine sounded satisfied now.

"Hmmm..." Abrahaim mused, bolt pistol still in hand. "Is she a psyker?"

-Negative.- The machine spirit replied as energy started playing over the still armored form. -Recommend full personality change. You will need a dedicated ally.-

"No." Abrahaim snapped. "I am Adeptus Asartes. Not the Inquisition. I do not corrupt and compel humans or their defenders into servitude. Repair only. Do you understand?" He asked in calm, clear -dangerous- voice.

-Understood.-

**Later**

Karen was floating. It felt...good. She was in her warframe. Everything felt... off. She was lying on something hard. Metal. Had the Corpus taken her? Her hand went for her pistol, but she stopped when a gruff voice sounded from nearby. She jerked and then realized her pistol wasn't where it had been!

"I took your weapons." Karen turned her head to see a huge armored form standing nearby. It...wasn't any kind of armor she had ever seen. The armor was red and had some kind of odd heraldry on its outsized shoulder pauldron. The helmet inclined to her. "I do not want any misunderstandings."

Tenno did not speak in the field. Karen slowly sat up and folded her legs underneath her. She looked around. The room looked... odd. A mix of high tech and incredibly low looking tech. And way up...was that a stained glass window on one wall? It looked like one. She had never seen one in person, but she had read about them. Seen pictures. The room was... large but bare. Stark. The term that came to Karen's mind was 'Gothic' but she had no idea why. She looked back at her... her what? Captor? Rescuer? What was he? She tilted her head in question.

"You are sworn to silence." The other said with a nod. Karen gave a nod of her own. Not quite, but close enough. "I understand. Therefore, _I_ shall speak. I am neither a scribe nor a dialogus. I am merely a battle brother, so I will not mince words. I was ordered to assist in defending this system and the humans within it from the foes who beset them." Karen went totally still at that and the huge armored form nodded. "That makes us allies. Of a sort."

Karen nodded slowly. She had never seen or heard of anything like this. But... something about this huge form rang true to her. She had heard and seen too many people in her life -including some Tenno- for whom the truth was whatever was convenient. This...being was not one of them. She did not doubt that he _could_ lie. But she did not think he was.

"Neither of us can trust the other." The red armored form said quietly. "Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment, so we must be cautious at all times." Karen shook her head slowly and the odd humanoid form chuckled. There was little mirth in it. "I am not here to debate, Tenno." He stepped back and there on a table, lay Karen's weapons. "Your weapons. Your injuries have been tended. Do you wish to return to where you were felled? Return to your kind from there?" Karen did not move. This was trap of some kind. It had to be. The huge form shook his head. "I have no quarrel with you, Tenno." He tapped a finger on his armored sleeve. "What lies without is not as important as what lies within, no?"

Karen did not move and the huge armored form sighed.

"Tenno, we are not enemies." The red form said with a shrug. "I do not wish to be your enemy. There are enemies aplenty in this foul mockery of Holy Terra. I am a defender of Mankind. You as well. If we fight, one will die and only the enemies of Man win."

_Holy Terra?_ Karen thought as she stared at the odd red giant. He was taller than Karl, who was the largest Tenno she knew. This was... nothing she had trained for. If she was a prisoner, then yes. Escape and evade. But _was_ she? She thought for a moment and then slowly uncoiled from her sitting position. She slid off the... metal slab. The other took another step back as Karen moved to the table where her weapons lay. None had been touched according to the readouts.

"I removed them." The other said firmly when Karen looked at him. "I did not meddle with them. I will return you to whence I found you." Karen did not take her eyes off the huge form as she slowly checked her Snipetron Vandal, her Prime Lato and her Skana. From touch, nothing was marred or changed. Each weapon went to where it belonged and Karen nodded to the other, her posture wary.

"I will need to touch you." The other returned her nod. "We will travel through the Warp to reach our destination. Be ready. I know not what our reception will be." Karen nodded and drew her pistol. A huge pistol weapon appeared in the other's hand as well as he reached out and touched her arm with his free hand.

Wait a moment! What was that _behind_ the armored form? An-

Karen focused on her training as the Void reached up and grabbed her. A brief but altogether too long period of nausea and shifting around her heralded them arriving. Karen stumbled as the armored form shoved her, hard. She rolled up against a metal stanchion as the red armored form drew a rifle. Familiar sensations came at her Void rattled senses. A battle as going on! Her heart leapt as she saw Aeron's form nearby, his rifle held steady as he picked off MOA after MOA. Others of her clan were also fighting.

Then she screamed as her father's form took a hit and fell from his lofty perch to land in a sodden heap. She snarled and focused. Every enemy in the area suddenly rose off the floor and was compacted. She had been practicing. She ran to Aeron's still form and her hand wavered as she let the healing mist fall. She was aware of the red giant standing between her and the enemy. Then... it was over.. The Corpus were fleeing!

"Be well, Tenno." The red giant said formally as he turned to go. "We will meet again." Then, he was gone in a clap of sound and flash of golden light.

"Karen?" Her father rose and took hold of her gently. "Karen, what happened?"

"I don't know..." The Tenno in the Mag warframe said weakly. "I really don't know."

**Back at the dojo**

"I am all right!" Karen said for the fourth time as Brianna puttered about. Alicia was working as well. "At least... I didn't scan any abnormalities. My mind feels the same." She had been gently but firmly escorted back to the dojo and out of her warframe. While her warframe was being scrutinized down to the molecular level, she was also due for a whole series of scans. Both for her injuries and...anything else.

"Karen." Karl said quietly. "We have to be sure. Whoever that was, he was powerful and had technology we do not."

"That is just it, Karl." Karen sad with sigh as she lay back on the table to let Alicia start scanning her memory. "I saw an Orokin drone." Everything stopped for a moment, but then the docs got back to work.

"Where?" Karl asked reasonably.

"Behind that armored form. I don't know where we were." Karen said with a sigh as she laid her limbs out straight to be restrained At least Alicia was being gentle. She didn't have to be. "Went down. Woke up... somewhere else. Odd place. It was... big. But empty. I got the feeling he didn't need to be nice. But he was. Sort of."

"_Sort of_?" Aeron pounced on that. He had flatly refused to leave her side, even knowing what she was going to undergo. Karen was losing patience with her adopted dad. Yes, she had been hurt. Yes, she was mad at the idiots who had run off and left her. But sheesh, this was getting _old_. She was Tenno, not a _toddler_!

"I... I don't know, all right?" Karen snapped. "It just... it seemed as if he...was trying hard not to hurt me. He said 'I am a defender of Mankind. You as well.' It was.. odd. The room was large and I saw something..." She shook her head. "It looked like a stained glass window."

"A _what?_" Karl and Alicia both chorused. Aeron just shook his head. Brianna froze in place and Karen nodded to the doctor.

"A stained glass window." Karen said quietly. "An ancient form of decoration. A window where some of the transparent parts were tinted different colors. But it didn't look ancient. The materials looked modern, but the architecture... it looked ancient. I keep thinking a word that doesn't make any sense."

"What word?" Karl asked as Alicia strapped Karen's head down gently.

"'Gothic'" Karen said quietly as Alicia offered her a mouthguard. "Yes please." Alicia slid the hard plastic in between Karen's teeth and Karen clamped down.

Then the energy started and despite her mantras and training, all Karen could do was writhe in it. A hand grasped hers and held on tight. She did not have to see to know it was Aeron's.

* * *

><p>"Gothic?" Karl asked no one as he left the medical ward. Aeron wasn't going to budge anytime soon. "What the hell is Gothic?" He keyed a quick search as he walked and paused as he saw several references. He discarded the ones about emotion ridden teens and music, focusing on architecture. "Hmmm... Large open spaces. Buttresses... stained glass windows... Pretty." He mused.<p>

"Boss." Ric's voice jerked Karl out of the search and he realized he had walked into the armory. Both Ric and Miguel stood over Karen's warframe, scanners going.

"Anything?" Karl asked.

"Nothing." Miguel said with a shrug. "Nothing wrong with her warframe or weapons. No trackers, no bugs. No tricks or traps. I think she needs some downtime though." The Tenno looked at the old Marine and Miguel shrugged. "Too long in combat dulls anyone, even Tenno."

"Agreed." Karl said with a sigh. "She is focused. But that may not be a good thing." Miguel nodded. The old NCO had seen way too many people burn out in his career. "Aeron could use some downtime too."

"Yeah."Ric said with a shudder. "I really thought he was going to kill those fools when they got to extract and Karen wasn't there."

"Yeah." Karl said dryly. "And saying 'Not our problem if she can't keep up' to Aeron was _not_ a good idea." He shrugged. "None of the wounds he inflicted were mortal. But _none_ will be running anytime soon either."

Aeron was quick, precise and lethal beyond belief with any kind of firearm. Before any of the errant Tenno even realized he had drawn, he had fired, putting rounds through the thighs of all three of the people Karen had been counting on for backup. Not a single bullet had hit a vital spot, but all had tore the leg muscles up. There would be complaints issued. Maybe even challenges. Karl didn't care. They had left one of his clan to die because 'she couldn't keep up'. They could _rot_ for all he cared. If they pushed this, they would regret it.

Karl, Alicia and Aeron had gone back looking for Karen. They had encountered a large Corpus force and been fighting them when Karen and her mysterious benefactor had arrived. Karl wasn't used to feeling awe, but that red giant... He understood why Two and Aeron has spoken in hushed tones about the ambush on Mercury. It wasn't human. _Whatever_ that being was, he wasn't human.

"Boss." Ric said quietly. "What did the Oracle say the guy called himself?"

"Let me pull it up..." Karl moved to a terminal and pulled up the file that had been sent to him. "Brother Abrahaim of the Blood Angels Chapter of the Adeptus Asartes_._" He went still as Ric did. "You know that?"

"_Know_ it?" Ric said slowly. "No. But I think... I think I knew of it." He bowed his head for a moment, thinking hard. The others let him. He was okay. Most of the time. But his memory was still patchy at times and he had odd moments. Well, odder than normal for him. "No... Not that. But the images..." He pulled up a file and a holoscreen came to life, showing the red armored giant. "This is... familiar. But... I don't know from _where!_" He snarled and raised hand to pound his forehead. Karl blocked the hand with a quick move and stepped back before Ric could retaliate. "Karl..." He groaned.

"Breaking your hand or your head doesn't help." Karl said mildly. "Cecelia will be... Ah speak of the girl." The door had open and Cecelia stepped in, but her face was pale. "Cecelia?"

"I know what that is." Cecelia said slowly. "And yes, he probably believe he is Adeptus Asartes. A Space Marine of the Imperium of Man."

"A _what_?" All three males exclaimed. Instead of answering, Cecelia keyed another screen and a large form in identical armor appeared on the new screen, But... this one was_ blue!_

"Adeptes Asartes in Mark VIII power armor." Cecelia said quietly.

"You mean there are more of these?" Karl demanded. Cecelia shook her head. "What then?"

"It was a game." All three men stared at her and she shook her head. "I did a lot of digging. It was a game called Warhammer 40000 published by a company called Games Workshop. Until they were bought out by Microsoft and Electonic Arts anyway." She shook her head. "That is not germane. But... We have a big problem if he does think he is one."

"Oh?" Karl pressed.

"Yeah." Cecelia said slowly. "In that game?"

"They _defined_ the words 'religious fanatic'."


	5. Chapter 5

**...Not kidding**

"Um... _What?_"

It wasn't every day that the Empress of the tiny remnants of the once mighty Orokin Empire was stricken completely speechless. Then again, it seemed to happen quite a bit around Karl and his merry band of lunatics. She just sat, her small briefing room far more secure than her throne room. And now? That was a good thing. Michelle was far from speechless and _she_ had been the one to blurt out the stunned query.

"Tell me you are _joking_." The former Tenno turned Orokin Princess said slowly.

"I wish I was." Cecelia shook her head. Cecelia and Karen were the only outsiders who were here with Karl. Both of them had come to 'brief' the Empress. Or to get the docs' help regaining their _sanity_. Whichever came first. "I looked every record we have. Not a lot.. but what I found is... close. Very close."

"_How_ close?" Empress Eliza managed to say. Cecelia nodded and a holo appeared in front of her. The red armored giant that Karen had encountered appeared. A similarly armored form appeared beside it. Aside from the color -the new one being blue- they were identical. Eliza swallowed hard. "That is... pretty darn close." She shook her head. "Okay... what are these... 'Imperium Space Marine' things?" She asked carefully. "In the _game_ that is?"

"According to the thirty seventh version of the rules... Which was the latest I found in our archives..." Cecelia said carefully. "They were genetically enhanced super soldiers who were selected from the fiercest of fighters, trained and augmented for a single purpose. To protect this 'Imperium'. To do so, they were given the best weaponry, the best armor and the best training available."

"That explains what happened to the Grineer." Michelle said with a gulp. Eliza nodded. They had both been told the known background of this.. insanity. "They hit something that was bigger, stronger and tougher than them."

"Smarter too." Karl agreed. "He hit the enemy command and control first. Without leaders, Grineer obey whatever orders they were last given, no matter how suicidal those orders might be. His weapons are powerful, but ours can match them. His armor? I don't know." He said with a shrug.

"We haven't seen any but his personal weapons." Cecelia said quietly. "In the rules... There were more, larger..." She paled a little. "Just reading some of the descriptions was terrifying. Thinking about a hand held plasma thrower..." She slumped a bit and Karl laid a huge hand on her shoulder. "But first and foremost... they were fanatics. Loyal only to their Emperor, no one else."

"So..." Eliza looked at Karen who nodded.

"He said he had been ordered to assist here. To aid against the enemies of man." Karen said without a trace of hesitation. Since she had gone through Marine training, she had changed, but not that much. She was a bit more confident now. In herself and in her abilities. Now if only she remembered that not all of her teammates were Marines or people who could be trusted not to screw her. "He seemed..." She paused and then spoke slowly, feeling each word. "Focused? Firm?" She shook her head. "He didn't _do_ anything that we have been able to find except for heal my wounds. And I _did_ see an Orokin drone behind him."

"So..." Eliza sighed. "It stands to reason this is yet _another_ Orokin mess." She gave a long, drawn out sigh. "Hence why you brought it to us. So... a figure from a _game_... in real life and shooting our enemies."

"So it would seem." Karl agreed.

"I don't see the problem then." Eliza said with a frown. "But from your expressions..." She waved a hand towards the three visitors. "There _is_ one."

"We don't know how or why this... 'Space Marine' is here." Karl said with a nod. "All we know is from an ancient game. We do not know his motivations, his goals or anything else about him. But what we do know..." He paused and then sighed. "I am not political, Empress. I try very hard not to be."

"And it is appreciated." Eliza said with a small smile. "You have _no_ idea how refreshing it is to see someone who is not motivated by selfish self interest." Karl... not smile and she stilled. "What?"

"I think I can answer." Cecelia said softly. Karl nodded to the girl and she took a deep breath before speaking again. "In the game... The Space Marines were defenders of mankind. But the 'Imperium' they served? It was _anything_ but noble." Eliza and Michelle both froze and Cecelia nodded. "The best term I have found for it was 'fascist'."

"Oh dear..." Michelle said as Eliza paled slightly.

The word 'Fascist' had all sorts of bad history attached to it. At its core, fascism was simply a radical authoritarian nationalism that had been prevalent in the first part of the Twentieth Century, Pre-Orokin. Some fascist regimes had focused on defending their people, often using methods that others found...extreme. Others... Had not focused on themselves. The first half of the twentieth century had _not_ been shining example of human history in no small part due to fascism. It had taken centuries of effort to recover from the mess even with the wonders of Orokin tech. Then there had been a few of the Separatist regimes whose ideologies had bordered on fascism. Some had been just as bad as the twentieth century. A few had been _worse_. Luckily, those few hadn't lasted very long, but the cost of stopping them had always been high.

"So..." The Princess filled in the silence that had fallen.

"So we have an insanely powerful unknown entity operating in the Solar System." Karl said quietly. "His origins and motivations are unclear. All the information we have on the game suggests that any means to his end will be used. Any at all. He will sacrifice anything, any_one_ to win." Eliza laid her head in her palm and Karl nodded. "We need information. Any and all information available on that game. Any Orokin who might have... I don't know... tried to make it real?"

"Agreed." Eliza said with a groan. "That sounds just like some of the insanity my own dear ancestors might have come up with." She shook her head. "I will have the archivists start searches-"

She broke off as a voice spoke from nowhere.

"Empress." The voice of the Lotus sounded...different to Karl and Karen. More... there instead of in their heads. "We have a situation."

"Lotus." Eliza sat up straight. "What is it?"

"As you know, the Tenno have been recovering data on the Archwing prototypes in preparation for a renewal of Grineer hostilities." The Lotus was calm, but worry sounded underneath her tone. "Some data has been recovered." Karl nodded. His clan had done some of the many, many excavation missions needed to find the data that had been lost for so long. "Several prototypes have been tested and function."

"The Grineer have resumed hostilities." Eliza's words were not a question.

"All Grineer forces currently in system have gone on alert. We have detected large Grineer formations at Mercury, Earth, Saturn and Uranus." The Lotus replied. "Other Grineer forces have been augmented by larger, more powerful Fomorian designs."

"Against the Corpus?" Eliza's tone was calm, but her face was worried.

"Against _everyone_."

**Vina's Mining Facility, Neptune**

"Move!" Horatius snapped as he led yet another group of straggling dependents and people with mobility issues into a survival shelter. "Stay here until the 'all clear' sounds." He did not wait for an acknowledgement, he slammed the door and sealed it. They would be safe in there, if not exactly comfortable. Life support, medical care and nutrition would all be provided. Of course... that depended on if _anyone_ survived this.

He wanted to be back in the colony with Mercedes. But that wasn't his place. Not right now. The breeding colony was deep within the area defended by the bulk of the Corpus forces. Mercedes wasn't going to be mobile for a while. She would sleep a lot. The docs wouldn't let her hurt, but it would be very uncomfortable. That... wasn't who he was though. He had enjoyed his vacation. He truly had. Talking with Mercedes, having fun with her, trying to pick a name for their kid or simply being with her. He had enjoyed it all. But now? He had come back to work just in time for the entire Solar System to go totally _nuts_.

Vina's mining facility was on lockdown. Grineer forces were moving in massive numbers against the defenses that had stood off the initial assaults on Neptune. The facility was on the edge of the protected zone though. It was probable that Grineer assaults would breach in places. That was the bad news. The good news? He had his team back. He was armed and armored. It felt like coming home.

"Boss!" Cass' voice was strong and confident. "We have Grineer on approach. Looks like a harrying force. Space skiffs. The main guns can't touch things that small." Distant thumps sounded the facilities weapons firing, trying to keep the larger Grineer forces away from the facility.

"Right." Horatius hated what he had to do, but there was really no choice. If the Grineer roamed unchecked, they could do a lot of damage. And if the guns went silent, even for a little while. The Grineer would move into boarding torpedo range and flood the facility with clone troops. This was going to hurt, but it had to be done. Space left few chances for escape in combat situations. "Security forces, suit up and prepare to repel. Heading for..." He paused as a voice sounded from close at hand.

"And _where_ do you think _you_ are going, commander?" Vina snapped as she strode into view, half a dozen guards around her. Horatius went still. _What the-?_

"Executive." Horatius said quietly. He didn't like her, but he now had a bit more respect for her. Talking with Mercedes had been...enlightening. "Why are you still _here_? You were _supposed_ to be on the last transport." He glared at the guard commander who shrugged.

"This facility and it's personnel are my responsibility." Vina said with a snap. "I will not abandon them."

"The Company comes first!" Horatius snapped. Not that he could give voice to the real reason. Mercedes loved Vina as much as she loved Horatius. If the Executive died...

"Holy Profit!" Vina said with a snarl worthy of an infested. "I don't have _time_ to argue, commander. You are coming with me to the command center."

"I need to lead..." Horatius paused as Vina stepped close, her face stern.

"Yes." Vina said sternly. "You need to _lead_. Not get your head blown off by some dirty _clone_." She shook her head. "We have not been idle, commander. We have upgraded our defenses. But we need someone who is qualified to command them. I am _not_." She held out a hand. "Please?"

Horatius went still. For the arrogant and stuck up witch to say something like _that_... He knew she had changed. That she had been changed when she had lost her ability to reproduce. Then the mess that had followed. Mercedes had said repeatedly that Vina had changed even before asking the Clergy to take her in, to keep her on track. To keep her guided. Horatius hadn't wanted to forgive. He had known Gen H-12 as Gen. He had liked her. She had snapped. One bad mission too many. He understood. Oh did he ever. But Vina... Vina had changed.

"I was wrong about you." Horatius said with a slow, heavy sigh. Then he nodded and took her hand to give a shake and release it. He knew where he was needed. "What kind of 'upgrades'?"

"I think you will like them." Vina said with a smile. "For the duration of this emergency... All guards report to you."

"Okay." Horatius said with a nod. "Then my first order is _this_. Get yourself into some armor, Executive. This is going to be... messy. We _will_ likely be boarded at some point. So, two of you, get her to the _armory_, get her into a _suit_ and stay with her. She doesn't go _anywhere_ without at least two guards."

"Yes, sir." Vina gave a credible salute and started off, two guards hustling to keep up.

"Just when you think you have seen _everything_..." Horatius said with a shrug. More than one of the guard chuckled at his dry humor. "Okay.. which way to the command center? We have work to do."

"This way, commander." One of the guards started off. "We have three squadrons of drones ready to deploy and four more queued up."

"Drones won't be enough." Horatius said with a sigh as he followed. "We are going to lose people. It will happen."

"Six squads are ready to go as well, sir." The guard replied as he approached a well guarded door. "But for what it is worth? I am glad you are here. Vina is brave... but..."

"Next time, knock her out and sit on her." Horatius said with a snarl as he entered a large and state of the art command center. A large holo display showed the mining facility and its surrounding space. He took in the scene at a glance. A large Grineer force was shown approaching. "If we lose her, everything else is for naught. The Board will just retake or downsize the place if we survive."

"I just want to know where she got the Bronco, sir." The guard said. Horatius paused and the guard nodded. "We were going to sedate her and she drew down on us. Gave us the choice of assisting her or dying."

"I see." Horatius said with a smirk that he hid carefully.

He might actually be starting to like that woman...

* * *

><p>No one noticed until it was too late. Everything was chaos. The Special Forces trainees who had been undergoing their usual dose of programming were oblivious to the situation. Tucked away deep inside the facility as they were, they were safer than most of the Corpus personnel. None of the Corpus forces had time to spare to check on them in any way except via sensor. And since sensors were not infallible at all, no one saw or heard the red armored form appear in the room, bend over the still form in the bed and lay a golden device on it. Then he was gone. Abigail vanished as well in a puff of golden energy. Only then did alarms start to scream. Far, far too late.<p>

* * *

><p>Abigail slept, unaware of the furor that followed her being snatched. She did not see machines cut away her sleeping garb. She did not see her body laid out on a slab of metal, being changed, her form enhanced, strengthened, augmented. It was a good thing she was not awake while her body was changed. The pain would have been excruciating.<p>

Not content to alter her body until it was the size of a full grown woman, the energy played over her muscles, enhancing each until her physique was equal to any human athlete's. She could run a marathon, jump almost as high as she stood. Fast and strong as humans could be, but no more. Not an ounce more. Physically, she was at the peak of human performance but that was the _least_ of the changes.

Her normally dark brown hair turned raven black as energy played over and deep into her skull. Her eyes were closed, so no one saw when they changed color as well, from their original hazel to a deep, sapphire blue. But again... physical.

Inside, Abigail was sobbing as she was rocked in huge golden arms.

_Rest, your call was answered. You will hide in the garb of my Daughter._ The huge voice was everywhere. The golden glow suffusing every pore of Abigail's mind as she was soothed. _You are needed, Sister Hospitaller Abigail._

_I... serve..._ Abigail managed to speak the words somehow before the golden glow pouring into her soothe her completely to sleep. Or... _part_ of her.

* * *

><p>Sister Abigail woke, aware of differences. Something had changed. She wasn't sure what. She looked around. She wasn't in a cloister. She wasn't in any facility she knew. The facility was... She paused. A Space Marine of the Blood Angels chapter was working on something by one wall.<p>

She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. Space Marines were not human. But they defended humanity. They had once been human. But they had given up their chance at salvation to defend humanity. Noble. But... Blood Angels. Their gene seed was...tainted. She went still as the Marine turned to look at her.

"I am Abrahaim. I am ordered to defend this system." The Space Marine said calmly. "It is not the Holy Terra we know, but it is similar and beset by many foes."

"The Emperor will prevail." Sister Abigail said formally.

"Yes he will." The Marine agreed. "But there are many who will need succor in the times to come. I am not a healer. You _are_."

"I am to work with you?" Sister Abigail asked, examining herself. She found no abnormalities. No scars beyond her ritual deformations. A quick glance at the medicae readouts nearby confirmed her own self diagnosis. But... things were not -quite- right. A feeling of doubt came to her and she shrugged it aside. A sister of the Order of Serenity did not _doubt_. She rose from the slab and a servitor approached with a set of light armor and white over-robes. A quick glance showed her tools ready to her hands.

"Possibly at times." Abrahaim said quietly. "My own missions will require a great deal of speed. Yours will require your own special skills. Your passenger is your primary charge. Protect her."

"There are lives to save then." Sister Abigail said firmly as her armor closed around her. "The Emperor protects."

"The Emperor protects."


	6. Chapter 6

**Support**

"Where the hell did you come from?" The dazed militiaman asked the white garbed form who knelt beside him. "You have to get out of here! There are Grineer everywhere!"

"They will be busy in a few minutes." The armored woman replied absently as she read some kind of scanner. "Arm and leg?"

"Yeah." The man was wearing cobbled together armor, but he held no weapon. His right leg was...gone from the knee down. His left arm was bent at a bad angle. "They... they hit me and left me to die."

"Mutant scum." The medic snarled. "Hold still." She commanded as she started working. "Won't take long." The militiaman jerked and lay still as she worked. The sounds of fighting came from nearby but the medic did not falter in her work. She was aware of scrutiny, but ignored it until her work was done. When she looked up she nodded to the dark form that stood in the shadows nearby. "This one is alive and will remain so. Others need my care. I go."

She was only mildly surprised when the Tenno -that was what it _had_ to be- followed her. She found two other militia fighters. One was dead, the other screamed as she worked, but then subsided as she finished. She patted the unconscious man's arm and rose only to pause as the dark form that had been following her stepped out of the shadows. Her first instinct was to scream 'mutant' and run the other way. Her second was fascination. In form, the Tenno was humanoid. The armor was far thinner than her own or any Imperium design, but it was obviously functional from the scars that marred it. In form, it was probably male. But it... It was looking at her. She shook her head.

"I have work to do." She declared and checked her scanner. Another human life reading shone nearby and she started for it. The Tenno moved to stand in her way and she snarled at it. Him. "If you are going to kill me, then _do_ it. But if not? I have work to do!"

She could swear the thing seemed...startled. But it did move out of her way as she started for the life signs that were failing. She was hyperaware of the shadow behind her, but as soon as she found the battered human form, her attention was focused on saving the man's life. She was so focused in fact, that the stunning impact that hit her and threw her to the deck was a complete surprise. She crawled back to the man's side and finished her work, aware of fighting all around her now. Only then did she check her own wound. It had impacted her armor and would leave some spectacular bruises, but no more. A minor injury all told. She was...

_Where was she? This...wasn't the training center!_ Special Forces recruit Abigail stared around wildly, aware of fighting all around her as she hugged the deck. She was wearing odd but comfortable garb that seemed armored. The helmet had readouts that she could not understand, but seemed oddly familiar. She had no weapons. She had to...

Sister Abigail snapped back to awareness, conscious of something wrong. She had been lying in place for four minutes according to her helmet chronometer. She shook herself savagely. She would need thorough checks when she returned to the Apothecarium. Maybe even a mind cleansing although she quailed at that thought. She was firm in her belief. The Emperor would prevail.

_The Emperor protects._

The Sister Hospitaller rose to a crouch and moved off, aware of combat all around her. But her scanners had picked up another fading life reading. She had to help. It was her calling. Her duty.

Unfortunately she was not warrior trained. If she _had_ been, she likely would have seen the missile that was fired at the Tenno who had been shadowing her and sought cover instead of looking for the wounded human.

She didn't.

* * *

><p><em>Well that sucks...<em>

Quais wasn't on Mars, but fighting Grineer was nothing new. He relished it even if his own personal quest to 'remove' every Grineer from Mars would have to wait. The Grineer were fighting hard, but not particularly smart. Not that they ever did. The few he had killed before finding the oddly garbed woman tending wounded had fallen easily. But the woman... Something was... wrong about her. He couldn't say what it was. Or why. But she wasn't afraid. Not of him. Not of the Grineer. Cautious... Sort of. But then she had risen just as a rocket had come at him and he had not been able to restrain a wince as the explosion tossed her into a wall to slide down boneless. He killed the Bombard and after a Bladestorm, the immediate area was clear. He knelt beside the fallen woman, intrigued. He froze as a groan sounded. She lived!

He knew little of human physiology, but the blood seeping from places that her armor hadn't protected her was not a small amount. This was nothing he had ever seen and his clan leader had given strict orders to report any more 'oddities'. He hadn't managed to get fully briefed yet with the utter insanity that had broken out with Vay Hek's newest madness, but it would come soon. Until then? He had Grineer to kill and a mystery. But... he needed orders.

_Lotus?_ He said in his mind. _I have encountered an oddity._ He did keep an eye on his surroundings.

_Tenno Quais?_ The Lotus sounded calm and serene as always. Sometimes he envied that serene. Sometimes he did not. It was life. _What kind of oddity?_

_A human woman in odd armor. Unarmed._ Quais said, perplexed. A shuriken dropped a Powerfist absently. _She was tending the injured militia here and was injured by Grineer. _

_Are her injuries serious? _The Lotus replied. _Wait..._ She said, cutting Quais off when he would have replied. _Examine her armor, is there any insignia?_

_It has golden flowers of some kind all over it. _Quais had never heard of a fleur-de-lis and likely wouldn't have cared what it was. _Lotus, she is badly hurt. Orders?_

_**Unarmed**__ you say... _The Lotus sounded... confused for a moment, and then her voice steadied. _Understood. Get her to support. But... full quarantine. Medical and electronic. Make sure they understand that._

_At once. _Quais agreed. The battered woman did not even scream as he digitized her. But...

_NO!_ The voice in his head was screaming. _No! Don't!_ It was female, young. _Don't..._ It begged and then screamed, a long drawn out wail of agony and loss.

Quais shook his head as he sequestered the data that comprised the human female in a secure partition of his warframe buffers. The screams cut off with dreadful finality.

_What the hell was that?_ Quais asked nobody as he started off. The few remnants of the human's fighting forces withdrew as the Tenno did. The Grineer pressed forward, but were too late to stop the escape.

Too late... for lots of things...

* * *

><p>Only after the Tenno had left the small colony did a red armored from appear. But this time... instead of a rifle... his weapon was the size of an old style motorcycle and the shells it fired were far, <em>far<em> larger than his rifle had boasted. The Grineer charged. It was what they did. But they fell as wheat before a scythe. Or just about _any_ human sized infantry before a _Heavy Bolter_. The_ heavy machine gun_ version of the boltgun.

* * *

><p>Quais had delivered his prisoner to the Tower and had expected to be sent back out into the field. But he had been asked to wait. So he did.<p>

"What hit her?" Iriana asked, stunned as she watched through the quarantine field as drones worked on their 'guest'. Until they were sure she posed no threat, she would be tended remotely, every scrap of data going anywhere near her would be carefully checked for tampering of any kind.

"A rocket." Quais replied calmly. Iriana turned to stare at him and he nodded. "She should be dead. But her armor must have saved her."

"It did." Iriana said with a frown. "Lots of damage. But she would have survived. For a while anyway, until she bled out." She said with a sigh. "This is... odd." Quais stiffened at her tone.

"Healer?" Quais asked carefully. "_What_ is odd?"

"I am reading three different wavelengths inside her mind." Iriana said slowly. "Which isn't possible. _Two_ I can see. Cognitive dissonances are known. But _three_? No..." She shook her head. "No. She wouldn't be able to function with three minds fighting for control."

"She was functioning." Quais shrugged. "And she was skilled at healing. Just not at combat."

"An armored medic _not_ trained for combat?" Iriana asked, confused. "That makes no sense."

"I know." Quais agreed. "And then... when I digitized her, I heard a voice -not hers- screaming." Iriana froze and turned to look at him. "Healer?"

"You need to be checked, Quais." Iriana said slowly. "Your warframe systems may have been compromised. If you heard her..."

"I understand." Quais said with a sigh as he started the unsealing sequence. "It wasn't her voice though. It was younger sounding. And..." He paused. "She was terrified." He finished the sequence and stepped out of his warframe. "With your permission healer, I will do a set of checks myself."

"Fine by me." Iriana said as the Ash warframe as lofted by a set of drones to be scanned carefully. "Just..." She shook her head, face furrowed in thought.

"Healer?" Quais asked as he knelt in a corner. The checks were quick. He was clean.

"She has been... modified." Iriana said heavily. "Her body altered. I..." She paused. "These techniques are known. In our database." She shook her head. "This makes no _sense!_" She complained. "According to every reading, she is only in her teens. Why would someone change a _teenager_? And into _this?_"

"Because that was what it was designed to do." A new voice had both Quais and Iriana turning. The Frost Prime warframe looked... wrong on close inspection. It wasn't until you looked hard at it that you realized it's surface was covered in glowing circuitry. Quais went still as Iriana nodded.

"Olim!" The Tenno healer said with a wide smile. "You made it."

"Yeah." Olim said sourly. "Three _days_ worth of talking to that... _thing_ and it _finally_ gave me _some_ of the information I asked for." Quais looked at the Cyberlancer and Olim sighed. "The only source of information on the game that we knew of was Cephalon Suda." Quais went still and Olim chuckled without mirth. "Yeah. Talk about _long winded_..."

No one was sure if Cephalon Suda was an AI, a hybrid AI/human or something else entirely. No one had ever gotten a straight answer from it. The Lotus might know, but she was very tightlipped about it. Stood to reason. Cephalon Suda's endless quest for knowledge at any price was well known to many factions within the Solar System. And not all of them appreciated it. The Lotus was neutral, painfully so in the squabbles between various factions that had aligned themselves against each other. The Syndicates' as they were known, were distinct from the Grineer Empire and Corpus megacorporation, but no less pervasive.

Quais himself had been emailed by another syndicate a few times. He had little use for Grineer however, even Grineer deserters. He was more drawn to the Arbiters of Hexis and their philosophy, but parts of that clashed with the Code, so he was reserving judgment.

"So what do we know?" Iriana asked. "This girl needs help."

"More than you know, Healer." Olim said sadly. "You see... The game was originally designed as a LARP by a group called the SCA."

"A _what_ by the _what_?" Iriana demanded. Olim sighed.

"LARP is 'Live Action Role Play'. A form of storytelling in person. The players become the roles." Olim said with a shrug as Iriana stared at him. Quais was still. That... sort of made sense. "And... apparently, two centuries or so after Orokin was founded, a group called the Society for Creative Anachronism made a way to take part in the Warhammer 40000 game. In person. For real."

"What little I have read of the game said it was dark, horror filled." Iriana protested. "Why would _anyone_ want to play such a game in real life?"

"I don't know." Olim admitted. "If Cephelon Suda knows, it isn't saying. And..."

"And I am _not_ going to do that again!" An irate female voice sounded as a holo of a young woman appeared nearby. Her face was half flesh, half metal. An AI. "You will _not_ make me talk to that... that... _librarian_ again, Olim!" She snapped as Olim just sighed again. "It was... insufferable!"

"Riana." Olim said mildly. Quais just shook his head. He had heard about the Cyberlancer's AI sister. Who hadn't? But the actual reality was far more than any story.

"Three days _your_ time, Olim." Riana said was a snarl. "Do you have _any_ idea how many 'requests for further information' it sent me in _three days_? And _now_ it has my contact information. You _had_ to give it_ my_ contact information! You just _had_ to! Gah! _Another_ one! Another 'Hello, can I ask about...?' email! _Three hundred_ in the last _twenty minutes __**alone**_!" Now she was growling. "That thing is going to get _accidently wiped and formatted!_ I swear!"

"Riana, it was needed." Olim said softly. "And you agreed."

"I did." The AI replied tightly. "But geez... One virus Olim. Just a _little_ virus? Please?" She begged.

"No, Riana." The Cyberlancer master said with a sigh. "We can't. Tempting as it is, we can't. If we destroy or even just damage the Cephalon, it would create all kinds of chaos. And _what_ is our primary function?"

"Protecting against such." Riana said in a small voice. "I am sorry, Olim." She said, her ire fading. "But that thing made me so mad... It was and is distracting me." She said with a sigh. "I wasn't a lot of help."

"Yes, you were, Riana." Olim reassured her. "While _it_ was focused on trying to figure you out, I managed to get the information we needed. Most of it." He qualified as Iriana smiled. He shook his head a little. "The live action game was designed as a _game_. Not dangerous. So _something_ changed. And the facility was not just shut down, it was _destroyed_ during the war. A survey drone that was sent into that pocket of the void found nothing functioning."

"So... She likely has the answers we need." Iriana shook her head. "This girl needs help Olim. She cannot help herself. Not with _three_ of her fighting inside her mind."

"I know." Olim said quietly. "But Iriana..." He paused and looked at Quais.

"I have not been briefed." Quais said quietly. "I do not know what I am cleared for."

"Karl offered you a place and you accepted." Olim replied just as quietly. "I can help her, Iriana. And I will need Quais' help. And... no matter what I do, it _will_ change her. For the better? For the worse? I don't know."

"You have but to ask." Quais said with a nod. "But what would we do?"

"To fix the problem, Riana and I will have to enter her mind." Olim said with a frown in his voice. "And as soon as we _do_, we will be vulnerable to whatever changed her. If it comes to it... if _I_ start to change... I need your word, Brother." He said formally. Iriana froze.

"No!" Iriana said sharply, "No! There has to be another way!"

"Maybe there is." Olim said quietly. "Do we have time to find it? To talk to the Cephalon for a week to find whatever scraps of information it lets drop?" Riana made a disgusted noise but subsided when Olim turned his helmet to look at her. "Brother? Can you do it?"

"I..." For the first time in a long, long time, Quais was speechless. Olim was asking the other male Tenno to _kill_ the Cyberlancer if he was subverted! "I do not wish the deaths of any kin, Cyberlancer Olim." Quais said after a moment. "Can you send me instead?"

"You would be more vulnerable." Olim sounded reasonable. "The thing is... If whatever did this to her and the other wanted to hurt us, it could have. The other saved Karen when it didn't have to. This one was working as a medic. Helping people. That is atypical behavior for any of the characters I know of from the game. Admittedly..." He said with a shrug. "I only skimmed stuff. Riana?"

"I read through most of the available works." Riana frowned. "Some of it was good reading. Most was horrifying. Horror stories were a favorite of that twentieth century for some reason and that game took them to a new level. But so many of the stories flatly contradict each other and that is flatly ignoring the stuff by someone named C. S. Goto..." She shook her holographic head. "Talk about _silly_..." Olim coughed and Riana nodded. "Okay, okay, sheesh... Lighten up, Olim."

"You are silly enough for both of us, Riana." Olim had a smirk in his voice as she made an obscene gesture at her. And where did you learn _that?_ Mom would spank you." He shook his head and answered his own question. "Never mind. You have been talking to Karen. Crazy AI and crazy Marines... figures." He sobered. "Quais? I can ask for another if you cannot. There is no shame in such."

"This girl needs help now." Quais said with a shrug. "I stand ready." His warframe reappeared and he slid into it quickly. "Any discrepancies?" He asked the healer as it sealed.

"No." Iriana said, her face working. "Olim... I..."

"It may not come to that." The Frost Prime said quietly as he stepped toward the airlock door that led to the quarantine area. Quais rose and matched his pace. Riana's holo vanished. "There is... one thing... The chip you detected..."

"In her sternum, yes." Iriana said quietly. "Encoded."

"I have the codes." Olim said quietly. "We got them from an interrogation a while back."

"She is Corpus Special Forces."


	7. Chapter 7

**Warps**

Quais was thankful for the silence as Olim led the way into the quarantine enclosure. The girl lay unconscious on the bed, her garb sufficient for modesty purposes if little more. Then he went still. He heard a girl crying!

"You hear it too, don't you?" Olim's words were not really a question. Quais nodded and Olim sighed. "All this time looking and a potential falls right in my lap. Figures that life's sense of irony is unchanged." Quais went still. Olim had been seeking... The Cyberlancer nodded. "If you can hear her... and you _can_... The you have the ability. But as with all things, just the ability isn't enough. You will need training. The Tenno need more of us."

"I... do not understand." Quais said after a moment. "I have the ability to...what?" What little he knew of Cyberlancers smacked of magic instead of technology. He knew the old saw about 'any sufficiently advanced technology looked like magic to any less advanced person' but still...

"I hope to explain." Olim said heavily. "But for now, this girl needs our help. If I do... fail... Riana, shift to his warframe." This was a command. Then he groaned. "No. I am totally serious, Riana." He said sharply to someone who wasn't visible. "He will need you."

"_You_ are needed." Quais said quietly. "Do not borrow trouble. Or aggravate your sister unduly." Olim looked at him and he shrugged. "Hey, I know better than to anger an AI. I do not wish to slay you. Cyberlancer."

"Well, I do not want to die either." Olim agreed. "Too much to do. Maybe..." The Frost Prime held out a hand and the Ash took it. "Yes..." The Cyberlancer mused. "You do have the potential. But you will need training."

"And you are the only one who can train me." Quais was not sure about this at all. "True?"

"True." Olim agreed sourly. "What a mess. I can get into her mind, but... I don't know what I will find."

"So you need to scout the area first." Quais said with a nod. "Can you use me?"

"I...am not sure." Olim said slowly. "I can get myself in fine, but anyone else?" He shrugged.

"Well..." Quais said slowly. "The girl has three mental wavelengths in her head, no?" Olim nodded and Quais continued. "Can you bring them out here so we can talk to them?"

"That..." Olim paused and then nodded slowly. "That might work." He stepped forward to touch the girls head and froze as she sat straight up, her eyes suddenly wide. "Uh..."

Quais went for his weapons, the girl wasn't supposed to be _able_ to wake up!

"This... isn't right..." The girl said slowly and the world vanished in a haze of golden energy.

* * *

><p>Quais kept himself calm through sheer discipline as the world solidified around him. A virtual world. He could see and... now he could feel the edges of it. Code. Golden code. But... where was he? He remained where he was, every sense hyperaware. The sound came first. A girl crying. Then another voice.<p>

"It is not your fault, child." The older female voice was soothing, calming. "None of what has happened is your fault." Quais went still as a bed appeared in front of him. A young looking woman was sitting on it, her face in her hands. From her posture, she was crying. A familiar armored form stood beside the bed, her hand outstretched. To comfort? Or something else. A glint showed in the armored form's hand. "You should not be awake. I can help." The older woman said gently.

"Everything is off..." The girl sobbed. "Everything is different! I feel...wrong. My body is wrong..." Quais was about to move, to do something when the armored woman spoke again

"You were losing control." The other said gently. "It isn't anything you can train for. There isn't anything wrong, girl. It is who you are. In my world, you would be a mutant or a psyker, but you are not." Her tone was sad now. "My world is not this one. This is your reality. Yours. You are a young human with gifts."

"_This isn't a __**gift!**_" The girl screamed. "_I want to go __**home!**_"

"Abigail." The other chided her gently. "You know you can't." She looked to where Quais stood frozen and nodded. "The explosion hurt her, us. The damage was done and likely cannot be undone. But she -we- were taken because..." She paused as Abigail's form suddenly started to glow. "Abigail!" She said sternly. "Be calm!"

"I wanna go home!" Abigail said, wilting. "I wanna go _home_!"

"Abigail! No!" The older woman cried as the world started to dissolve. "Don't!"

Quais was in motion before either of the others could move as a door appeared on one wall of the virtual world. It yawned, darkness on the other side. He moved to block the door. The portal to oblivion for the girl's mind. If Abigail died in here...

'Abigail.' An unfamiliar male voice called from the door. "Abigail... Time to wake up, honey.'

"Dad?"the girl asked, her face suddenly coming up. Tears were falling unchecked as she stared at the door. "I... No... No, you are dead. I..."

"Abigail! Please!" The older woman said urgently, but Quais had seen enough.

"Stop." Quais said firmly. "Both of you. Stop. Wait." Both turned to look at the Ash and he continued slowly. "Abigail... Your name is Abigail?" The girl nodded jerkily and the Ash nodded back. "Mine is Quais."

"I...thought Tenno did not speak..." Abigail managed to grate out as the voice from the door kept calling. She made to rise, but the older woman sat on the bed and hugged her tight. "No... I... Dad is calling..." She said weakly.

"That is not your father, Abigail." Quais said firmly. "You created this virtual world. You brought us here. If you die here, we all die with you." Abigail stared at him, her face ashen. "If you truly do wish an end, no one will gainsay it. But not at the cost of other lives."

"I don't understand." Abigail said slowly as the older woman hugged her tight.

"Abigail..." The other woman said slowly. "The Emperor's blessing is only to be given to those who cannot be saved. You _can_ be. _If_ you choose."

"What happened?" Abigail asked, if anything even more dazed as the older woman held her gently. "I had... gone to sleep. My training was underway... Everything was... I was... My hands were glowing, but I managed to hide them and..." Quais paused as something suddenly made sense.

"How long have you been able to tap the power within you, Abigail?" Quais asked quietly. Both woman stared at him and the Tenno shrugged. "At the core, everything is energy. You tapped it early, didn't you?"

"I have always been able to make computers do what I want." Abigail said weakly. "Broke some, but learned fast. Learned to fix things before anyone reported them broken. Even before the machinery could. I... I am bad. Wrong."

"No, you are not." Quais kept his voice quiet. "You learned to do something that not many humans do. That made you exceptional at your chosen craft. You do not even need to try hard." It was statement, not question, that last. Abigail wilted further. "Abigail..." Quais said with a sigh, this was not his thing. "It is nothing _wrong_."

"Listen to the Tenno, Abigail." The older woman said urgently. "Please. Close the door. I don't care what anyone says. You are a good girl. You were abused. Tricked and hurt. But that does not change who you are!"

"I... I don't know..." Abigail said slowly. "I wanted to serve... to make a difference..."

"You can." The older woman promised. "_If_ you do not extinguish yourself." She bowed her head and then let Abigail go. "It is your choice, Abigal. Not mine, not the Tenno's. Not the other's. _Yours_. Emperor be with you." She rose and moved to one wall where she bowed her head and waited.

"Other?" Abigail asked weakly.

"Yes, Abigail." Another voice, just as soft and gentle preceded another form appearing. Quais had his rifle in hand and aimed as Abigail gave a shriek. This one wasn't human. "I am no threat to you, Abigail. Nor to you, Tenno. But the Hospitaller and I... do not agree on much. Our arguments would hurt you, girl and neither of us want that." The female alien had _blue skin_!

Her green robes were cut to flow easily. The color worked well with her skin tone. She was unarmed, although a belt of odd looking machinery or tools hung at her waist. Her eyes under the raised eye ridges were orange and pupil-less, but somehow conveyed compassion nonetheless. The odd 'Y' shaped ridge that creased her face seemed to do nothing as she smiled. She held up empty hands that had only three fingers and an opposable thumb on each.

"Hello Abigail." The odd looking woman said calmly. "My name is Ab'gal'ui. I serve the Greater Good."

"You are... alien..." Abigail said weakly. Quais did not move.

"Well, duh." The other said with a recognizable smile. "I am not real, Abigail." All of the others stared at her and the not human shrugged. "We are in your mind, girl. I am part of you. So is the sister here. You needed the help."

"I don't understand!" Abigail snapped. "I..." She shivered as a female voice sounded from the still open door. "Mom..."

"None of this is real, Abigail." Quais said quietly. "This is a virtual world. You have made these before." Again, not a question. Abigail wilted further and he sighed. "Abigail..." He chided her gently. "It is not your fault."

"Um..." Olim's stunned voice preceded the Cyberlancer into the midst of the odd tableau. "Hi?" His sister appeared beside him, seeming more real in this place and time. She stared from the Hospitaller to the Tau to the girl and back, silent.

"Hi." Abigail said in a small voice. "I... Um... What have I done?"

"Your cry for help was heard." The Tau said quietly. "Brother Abrahaim extracted you before the cult who had you realized what you were. Your Special Forces allies would have tried to protect you. They would have fought for you."

"And _died_..." Abigail was crying again. "Everyone I love _dies_. _Everyone_! I just... I don't... Not again..."

"Close the door, Abigail." The Hospitaller said quietly. "The Emperor knows his own. We love you."

"Close the door, Abigail." The Tau repeated. "The Greater Good would be diminished without you. We love you."

Abigail gave a long, drawn out scream. Pain, loss, rage, sadness, fear, horror. All of these mixed in one, long drawn out wailed cry of regret and remorse. The door closed and vanished. The tension in the virtual room seemed to drop dramatically. The only sound was Abigail sobbing.

"I don't..." The girl cried. "I don't want... I want things to be as they _were!_ I was... I was liked for who I was... For what I could _do_! Not for my _genetics!_ Not for my _flesh!_"

"Abigail." The Hospitaller said quietly. "The _one_ absolute truth in life is _change_. Even death itself is only a form of change. A _final_ change as far as we know, but a change. You have changed. You _will_ change."

"_But I don't __**want**__ to!_" Abigail screamed.

"Abigail..." Ab'gal'ui was just as quiet as the Sister Hospitaller had been. "What we want is rarely what we get." She paused, looking at the silent Tenno. "But you called for help. Help is here. Will you accept it?"

"_I_...called for help?" Abigail asked, confused.

"You did." The Tau replied calmly. "In the waking world, you do not remember. _Here_ you will. In your dreams you cried out for help and talked to a woman whose face was shrouded from you." Abigail jerked. "You could not see her face. But when she touched your cheek, her hand was burned." Abigail jerked again.

"The _Oracle_?" Olim asked, hushed. Both the Hospitaller and the Tau nodded to him. "I see."

"She...was _vague_." The Hospitaller and Tau both said in unison. Both glanced at each other and did not comment.

"She _has_ to be." Olim replied slowly. "So... Abigail was taken and... her mind sequestered?"

"Until she could reach help." The Hospitaller agreed. "I am a construct. I was built to help her adjust. This is not... how this was supposed to work. I was to keep her calm, try to speak to Tenno. But I was distracted by the wounded." Shame sang in her voice now. "My distraction nearly cost you your life, Abigail."

"Not your fault." Abigail said firmly. "And you?" She asked the blue skinned alien.

"I am an interface." The other said calmly. "A normal human mind cannot handle such power as you have been wielding, Abigail. I am... the bridge for you until you can learn to use the power yourself. If you choose to. If not? I will fade away in time."

"Why?" Abigail asked weakly. "Why give me the choice?"

"Because as we see it the _only_ person who has the right to choose what you do..." Olim said firmly. "...is _you_." He shrugged as Abigail looked at him. "I am willing to bet your body was altered to hide you. To give you a chance to start a new life if you wish." Both the Tau and the Hospitaller nodded. "You do not have to choose now, Abigail." Olim said quickly as Abigail hissed in fear. "We just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"And check for traps." Abigail's voice was firmer now.

"That too." Olim chuckled a little "But I am trying not to be tacky." He ignored Riana's mutter of 'trying'.

"I do not think I am a trap." Abigail said slowly. Her eyes going distant. "But there are trackers... odd trackers..."

"Abrahaim does not trust anyone." Sister Abigail said heavily. "Space Marines are trained not to. One reason it is impossible to ambush a Space Marine. All you do is fulfill their expectations."

"Just to be clear here..." Olim said slowly. "You know that you are figures from a _game_?" His tone was very careful.

"We..." The Tau waved to the Hospittaler who nodded. "Are mental constructs based off the thirty fifth edition rules of the Warhammer 40000 tabletop boardgame. We are intended to help Abigail through her trials. No more. No less. If we were _actually_ the people from that game? Sister Abigail would have had me killed for being a xeno, Abigail for being a host to a Deamon and you two for being mutants."

"I wouldn't have _killed_ Abigail!" The Hospitaller protested. "I would turn her over to the Inquisition." The Tau just looked at her and the Hospitaller winced. "Okay, okay... point taken. And _you_ would be converting people to your odd creed and reporting everything to your superiors. Who would then use said information to conquer."

"Words are usually cleaner than _guns_." Ab'gal'ui replied evenly. The Abigail on the bed just chuckled a bit wetly. "They cannot trust us, Abigail." The Tau said gently. "Not without more time. We have time. You have time."

"I was... happy." Abigail said weakly. "Part was the programming, I know. I could... _feel_ it happening. But..."

"We are not going to program you, Abigail." Olim said firmly. "We have to be completely sure. But we do not have to be rough about it. And we can teach you about using the power you have. Or we can block it off permanently." Both the Hospitaller and Tau tensed as Abigail's face brightened. "Abigail..." Olim warned. "Do not rush into any choices. You have time." He echoed the others. "But once that choice is made, it cannot be undone. And frankly... you would miss the power as soon as it was gone. So do not make any hasty choices."

"It feels good." Abigail said weakly. "When it comes out. It feels so good. Natural. But... It isn't is it?"

"It is." Olim said with a shrug. "As far back as humans recorded history, there were craftsmen and craftswomen who 'felt' their crafts. Who could do wonders beyond any normal person's ability. Some were called geniuses. Others heretics." The Hospitaller winced at that, but everyone pretended not to notice. "Tenno take it one step farther. We can teach you how to use it and when. If you so choose."

"But not right now." Abigail said quietly as she lay back on the bed and closed her eyes.

"No." Olim agreed. "Can you wake up or do you want me to wake you?"

"I can." Abigail said quietly. "But... I... I don't know... What to do."

* * *

><p>Just like that, the two Tenno were standing over the girl's bed in the quarantine ward. Alarms were sounding and Olim made a cut-off gesture as Abigail put her hands over her ears.<p>

"We are okay, Iriana." Olim said aloud before Iriana could speak over the intercom. "And I have someone you need to meet. Well... three someones." He held up a hand and two holograms appeared nearby. "Healer Iriana, meet Sister Abigail of the Hospittaller Order of Serenity and Ab'gal'ui, Earth Caste technician of the Tau Empire." All three of the aspects that had resided in Abigail's head looked at him and he shrugged. "Hey, I read a lot."

"And he _cheats_." Riana's dry voice preceded her appearing nearby. "He had _me_ look it all up. I am Riana by the way, his _minder_."

"Riana!" Olim said with injured dignity as all three other females laughed.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a very long explanation?" Iriana asked over the intercom.

"Not long at all." Abigail said with a smile. "I needed help. I asked for it and got it. If not..._quite_..." She stared down at herself. "...what I expected."

"At least you can laugh about it." Sister Abigail said with a smile that faded. "As dark as the game was?"

"This world is just as dark in some ways and Brother Abrahaim will make it more so."


	8. Chapter 8

**Resistance**

It was... not completely unforeseen, but it did happen when he least expected. It had been a day since Sister Abigail had been taken by the Tenno, hopefully to receive the help she needed, but that was not his concern now. He had done as he had been ordered. It was all he could do. He was no mender, no Apothecary. He was a Space Marine, an ender of life. An Angel of Death.

Abrahaim was fighting hard to slow a Grineer incursion on one of the colonies orbiting the once moon called Ceres when a group of humans in reasonably well put together gear started fighting beside him. They were skilled. They stayed in cover, fought as a team and used communication and coordination to negate the enemy numbers. There were not more than two squads worth of them, but they were reasonably good. Their attire and armor were rough and ready looking, but it was serviceable and their weapons were fully capable as well. They all wore an odd insignia. A circle with a diagonal line through it. It wasn't any group he knew, but he did not know much of this system.

They did not get in his way, or hinder him at all. He appreciated that. Indeed, they covered his flanks, aiding his delaying action to allow the straggling human survivors of this doomed colony to get to safety while he held the Grineer's attention. It wasn't hard to hold the clones' attention. The distinctive rapid chattering bark of his Heavy Bolter was music to his ears. Almost as musical as the screams of the clones as they were hit and died. As he fired, he spoke quietly.

'What is your life?  
><em>My honour is my life.<em>  
>What is your fate?<br>_My duty is my fate._  
>What is your fear?<br>_My fear is to fail._  
>What is your reward?<br>_My salvation is my reward._  
>What is your craft?<br>_My craft is death._  
>What is your pledge?<br>_My pledge is eternal service'_

Was it his imagination that some of the humans were speaking the same lines he was? No, It wasn't. They were imitating him, drawing strength from his faith. As it should be. He was Adeptus Asartes of the Blood Angels Chapter. It did not matter what he had been before. He was one of the Emperor's sons, a champion of humanity in its darkest hours.

'The enemies of the Emperor fear many things.

They fear discovery, defeat, despair and death.

Yet there is one thing they fear above all others.

They fear the wrath of the _Space Marines_!'

He ran out of targets and his Heavy Bolter fell silent. No more Grineer charged. His eyes narrowed under his helmet as the humans beside him stared around warily. He had a good position, the humans had heavy cover. But if they moved forward, they would be cut to pieces.

"Do not advance!" Abrahaim commanded in their common tongue. "They will try to flank us-"

"_Whoever_ you are!" A loud voice shouted across a suddenly silent battlefield. "_What_ever you are! Meet your _doom!_"

Abrahaim nodded as a huge armored form appeared in the near distance. He carried a huge spiked hammer. Other Grineer life readings were apparent on his sensors, but none shone themselves. Some kind of challenge? No. Grineer had no honor. They would flank him, attack the humans from the sides or behind then swarm him. His armor and weapons were mighty, but his chief weapon was mobility. Rob him of that and even he could be overwhelmed.

"Fall back." Abrahaim commanded. "Now." He laid the Heavy Bolter down and drew his pistol and chainsword.

"We can't _leave_ you!" One of the humans snapped as a shot rang out. The bullet hit the monstrous Grineer's armor and glanced away harmlessly.

"This is a trick to get around or behind us." Abrahaim declared. "_I_ can escape no matter what. You _cannot_. Fall _back_. Now!" His Heavy Bolter vanished in a wash of golden light and he smiled grimly as he saw his regular Bolter replacing it. It likely would do about as much good against such heavy Grineer armor as the human's rifle had, but it was lighter and would slow him less than the heavy weapon. He picked it up, checking it automatically. The machine spirit had anticipated his needs, it was loaded with Kraken ammunition. Armor piercing. "There is no glory in pointless defeat! _Go!_" He thundered.

The human stared at him and then nodded jerkily. "At least tell me your name, warrior."

"I am Abrahaim." The Space Marine declared.

"Steel Meridian honors you, Warrior Abrahaim." The human said as he backed away, his rifle ready. "I wish we could reward you as you deserve."

"Duty is its own reward." Abrahaim said calmly as he scrutinized his foe. Then the humans were gone. "I am Abrahaim of the Blood Angels." He declared to the huge Grineer as he strode forward, bolter ready. But no other Grineer showed themselves. The newcomer hefted his hammer.

"I am Lieutenant Lech Kril!" The massive Grineer said firmly. "And my hammer awaits your skull!" He seemed to still as Abrahaim stepped closer and it was immediately apparent that the Blood Angel was _just_ as big as Kril if not a little _bigger_. "_Finally!_ A worthy foe!"

"_Worthy?_" Abrahaim hawed and spat. "You are a filthy _clone_. A _mutant_ and _heretic_ both. In what _possible_ way could you or _any_ of your degenerate breed _ever_ hope to match a _true_ Space Marine?" He slung his bolter and drew his chainsword. It revved in his hand. Ready.

"You are powerful." The other said as the two goliaths started to circle, sizing one another up. "Why aid the bases? You owe them nothing!"

"You are Grineer." Abrahaim said quietly. "You will never understand. For that? You have my pity." The other froze but Abrahaim was not done. "I will grant you the Emperor's blessing. And if I meet _another_ copy of you? I will do the same. As I will for each and every one of your filthy kind!"

"You are one! We are many!" Lech Kril snapped.

"You are _flawed_." Abrahaim replied. "**Cheap**, flawed _copies_. I will grant you the mercy you desire." His chainsword was up and ready.

"All I _desire_ is your _death!_" Krill screamed as he charged. "The Queens demand it!"

"Your queens can kiss my _butt_." Abrahaim replied easily as he slid aside from the ponderous blow, deftly slicing his sword at vulnerable looking parts that hung off the Grineer's body armor. Two hoses flopped loose, some kind of coolant flying freely. Abrahaim's eyes narrowed as he dodged another ponderous swing. "Too slow, Grineer."

"Stand and fight, coward!" Kril snarled as he tried an overhead slam that hit the deck and sent shockwaves through it, but those did nothing to the other armored form who lashed out and tore another tube off his enemy's backpack thing. "Die!" He screamed as he spun, but Abrahaim dropped under the hammer's arc. He lashed out, but his chainsword glanced off the heavy armor with no effect.

_Power sword would be nice right now..._ Abrahaim thought as he slid away from the infuriated giant. Kril was obviously enraged, but he was far from uncontrolled. More like a Space Wolf berserker than an unthinking brute. That made him very dangerous. That hammer would hurt if it connected. He focused on avoiding the strikes for a moment, hoping his enemy would tire, but the huge Grineer showed no signs of fatigue. He had to end this before the other Grineer approached. Which they would. Soon.

The Space Marine took a chance and paused just for a moment. As expected, his opponent took the chance for an overhead swing. Abrahaim dodged the blow, but the shockwave still sent ripples through him as it hit the floor...and _stuck_! The Space Marine did not hesitate, he struck with all the wrath and fury of an Adeptus Asartes. Kril gave a scream as the chainsword bit deep, deep into his backpack, severing the last of the hose like things before biting deeper and deeper. Kril jerked, trying to pull his hammer out of where it was tuck and at the same time, trying to fend off the rending teeth of the chainsword. But he could not do _both_ and in moments, the sword was through the armor's back mounted housing and biting deep into cloned flesh.

A pulse of energy came from the armor and Abrahaim tucked himself into a ball to roll with it as it tossed him back and away from the now rising Kril. Was it the Marine's imagination that the Grineer was shaking as he finally managed to pull his hammer free? No. The Grineer was moving slowly. Red was falling from the rent backpack in sheets as Kril tried to raise his hammer again and it fell from nerveless fingers.

"No..." Kril said with a snarl as he stumbled. "Not... not possible..." Abrahaim rose and set himself, but his enemy fell to his knees and stayed there. "Not..."

"Nothing is impossible." Abrahaim replied coldly as he raised the chainsword again. The Grineer spat at him and then screamed once as the chainsword came down on the vulnerable neck of the armor. The whine of metal teeth tearing through metal armor was ear-splitting, but music to the Space Marine's ears. "My _faith_ is my _shield_! My _fury_ is my _sword_." The head of the armored titan fell off.

"Not bad." Another voice sounded and Abrahaim spun, sword up. But the two Grineer looking at him did not attack. Indeed, both were just watching. Both female. He knew them. Ven'kra Tal was shaking her head. "Kril always does fight more with balls than brains, but not bad at all."

"The enemies of man will fall before us." Abrahaim said sharply as he unslung his boltgun.

"I knew I knew your voice from somewhere." Ven'Kra Tal said quietly. "The aberrant scout." She... did not move to attack. Trap. This was a trap. Abrahaim glanced left and right, but nothing shone. "I am not here to fight. I am here to talk." The other did not move, but her Manticore axe was in hand.

"If that is a joke..." Abrahaim said coldly. "It is not _funny_. Grineer do not talk. They _take_. You know how this must end. Do not waste my time, Grineer."

"You are not human." Ven'Kra Tal said calmly. "Not a base. So why fight for them?" She sounded honestly curious. "Why throw your life away for them?"

"Why throw your life away for your _Queens_?" The Space Marine countered. There! Enemy life signs all around him, closing in. But not attacking? Why? Then he tensed. They wanted him to flee. So they could follow him, track him to his base. He slowly relaxed. "Interesting plan."

"We are Grineer." Ven'kra Tal said calmly. "Serving is what we were made for. What we were made for."

"We do share _that_ then, if nothing else." Abrahaim agreed calmly.

"You were Grineer." The female sniper said quietly. "We will find out what happened to you. We will find that pocket of the Void again."

"You will find _nothing_." Abrahaim said with a snort. "Not that I expect any of you clones to be able to find your _asses_ with both hands and a _map_." The soldier with the Manticore surged forward and Abrahaim smiled under his helmet as she charged.

"Sprag!" The other screamed, but it was too late as Abrahaim met her charge halfway.

**A long and painful time later**

He... hurt.

_All_ of the Grineer had fallen. But he was hurt. It had taken concentrated pounding from several heavy weapons including the leader's sniper rifle, but his armor had finally been penetrated. It hadn't done them much good. All of the Grineer lay still behind him as the wounded Space Marine stumbled from the battleground.

_I... am... Adeptus Asartes... _Abrahaim snarled at his own weakness. _I will not surrender to anyone or anything. I will accomplish my mission! I will not let them track me._

He had to evade whatever they were using to try and track him. That was the only possible explanation for his survival. A platoon of heavy weapons led by two powerful Hellions should have killed him. They wanted him alive, so they could find out where his base of operations was. He would not oblige them.

"There!" A shout went up behind him and Abrahaim spun to see a wave of Grineer approaching. "Take it! Alive! The Queens demand answers!"

"I answer to my Emperor, not your _filthy_ Queens!" Abrahaim retorted, jacking a round into his boltgun. He had few remaining however and his chainsword had been damaged by the Manticore wielding clone. He stepped forward, knowing his death was coming, but accepting it. As he moved, he sang.

Without the Dark, there can be no Light,  
><em>We have purpose<em>  
>Without the Lie, there can be no Truth,<br>_We have purpose_  
>Without the War, there can be no Victory,<br>_We have purpose_  
>Without the Death, there can be no sacrifice,<br>_We have purpose_  
>Without the Hope there can be no Future,<br>_We have purpose_  
>Without the Loyalty there can be no one chapter,<br>_We have purpose_  
>Without the Emperor, there is nothing,...<br>_And we would have no purpose_

Abrahaim was ready for death. Every Space Marine was. Their job was not to survive. Their job was ensure victory. Death was a certainty for each and every Space Marine. Against fifty Grineer, with his weapons damaged and armor rent and torn? He was dead. But he would die fighting as befitted an Adeptus Asartes. He stepped forward to meet his death.

But... death did not come for _him!_

Abrahaim went still as the shadows behind the Grineer came to life. Four dark humanoid forms stepped out into the light. Before the half a hundred Grineer could realize they were under attack from behind, three Tenno were in their _midst!_ Blades flashed and firearms roared.

A huge white form was swinging a long, two bladed staff. A form with golden hoops on its helmet was firing calmly and coolly, each shot ending two or three clones. Another was tossing small spherical things that sizzled and threw lightning. Another pulled many Grineer into a whirling ball of energy and he shot them with an odd looking miniature crossbow. It wasn't even _close_ to an even fight. Another, this one white with blue markings on its -her- armor, stepped close, her posture worried. Abrahaim shook his head.

"The humans?" The Space Marine asked, keeping unconsciousness at bay through sheer force of will. The Tenno made a gesture he interpreted as 'safe'. "Good. That is... good." Abrahaim said as he turned to go. "Fare thee well." He paused as she laid a hand on his arm. "I must go. They will track me." She shook her head and he shrugged. "Only in Death does duty end and my duty is to this reality's remnants of humanity!" Abrahaim said sharply.

But then he knew no more.

* * *

><p>"Alicia?" Karl asked as the last Grineer fell to his Orthos Prime.<p>

"He is alive." The team medic said as she knelt by the sorely hurt red armored from. "I have _no_ idea _how_. This stuff is... definitely Orokin tech. but... odd." She was working fast. "We need to get out of here. Can we digitize him in this? I don't know..."

"Not safely." Olim said as he shook his Dual Kama to clean them. "I have disabled the trackers I have detected, but I may not have gotten them all. The armor is shielding him from most scans, digitizing him may only take _parts_." All four Tenno winced at that.

"Then we _carry_ him." Karl said with no room for argument. "Is it safe to move him?"

"I don't know, Karl." Alicia said weakly. "This is... Half the organs I detect are not in my databanks. I have no idea _what_ they do, if anything."

"According to the game, Space Marines had extensive bioengineered implants." Olim said as he moved to stand by the fallen warrior in red. "Stands to reason that anyone _making_ one would have something to do similar things. But wherever we take him, we have to prove to him, fast, that he is not a prisoner. Or it will get _very_ messy."

"Right." Karl agreed. "The dojo then."

"Karl." Olim was not arguing, not really as he took one side of the fallen red giant and Karl the other. Alicia was scanning as they lifted the still form and started off with him. "We need someone who he will talk to. Someone who he can trust." He paused. "Abigail."

"You cannot be _serious_!" Karl said sternly. "You _really_ think taking him to the hospital is a good idea?"

"No." Olim agreed. "But... Abigail needs to talk to the Special Forces anyway and she knows him. Or _part_ of her does. So..."

"I am no diplomat!" Karl said sternly. "And that tower is... still forming. We cannot interfere."

"Karl, we _have_ interfered." Alicia said calmly as she kept her scans. Ric maintained a rearguard, rifle ready, but no Grineer showed. "We will get him checked, then take him there. And yes, I think Abigail to talk to him. Part of her understands how he thinks."

"And Cecelia." Ric said quietly. All three of the others looked at him and he shrugged."She is a horrid liar and knows it. I will stay with her."

"I need to work with Quais." Olim agreed. "And _you_ need to get him briefed in, Karl."

"Dojo first for checks and to pick up everyone." Karl said sourly. "Then tower. I will take Quais with me to report to Eliza, then we can work from there. Do _not_ leave him alone with Abigail or Cecelia. But... A guest, not a prisoner."

"As long as _he_ realizes that." Olim agreed. "We are fine. If he _doesn't?_ We have problems."

"Ya _think_?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Pure**

"This is... not a good idea."

The woman who spoke looked a bit uncomfortable in the armor she was wearing. No one blamed her at all. It was not every day that a half healed member of the Corpus Special Forces was asked to wear armor from a _game_. The Imperial Guard flak armor fit her well enough, but it did not hide the bandages that she still wore and would for some time. Violet had been very badly hurt. The armor was functional enough, Violet had to admit that, if not vacuum resistant or as strong as her normal Special Forces armor.

But it was what else was in the room that had everyone's undivided attention. Two Tenno stood by the sole door, both armed. Neither had weapons ready, but both were on edge. Abrahaim slept. The Blood Angel lay on a metal slab that was reinforced to hold his mass. His wounds had been tended and his armor was repairing itself.

The room itself was huge and airy. Gothic in style with stained glass windows and high flying buttresses holding up a painted ceiling. Abigail had directed the construction and decoration of the 'Apothecarion' to Sister Abigail's memories. The huge image of the golden armored figure who stood in the main window was either protective or prohibitive. It was hard to tell which. According to Sister Abigail, that was the point. The Emperor was both a father figure and a guardian for the Imperium of Man in the game.

"You insisted on being here, Violet." Abigail said with a small smile. But then she frowned as her hands flew over odd looking controls and machinery worked on the still red armored form. "This feels... very strange. Not to be in control." She paused and grimaced. "Yes, yes, I know..." She said sourly to someone who could not be seen. "All right. Your turn, Sister Abigail."

Violet tried not to jerk as the woman in armor in front of her seemed to swell a bit. No. She simply stood up straighter, firmer. More confident.

"Operative Violet." The voice coming from Abigail now was...different. More melodic? Or at least older and wiser. Maybe sadder. "You are a witness only. Do nothing or he will take it wrong. If that happens, there will be nothing for us to save. And your injuries are still there, if healing. Do not make me sedate you." She warned.

"That is _so_ wrong." Violet said with a shiver. "_Three_ of you in one body. And a body I don't really know. And then... this..." She nodded to where the huge red form lay.

"None of us know how this came to pass." Sister Abigail said, a frown furrowing her features. "And you will _not_ ask." She commanded. Violet made a face, but nodded. "He will not take it well if you do." She paused and then stepped back. "He is waking. Back. Now." The Sister put words into action, taking three steps away from the table as one huge red armored fist clenched a little. "Brother Abrahaim? Your wounds have been tended."

"Sister Abigail?" The Space Marine asked slowly as he turned his head from side to side. "Where am I?"

"You are in an Orokin Tower." The Sister replied. "And yes, they helped the girl. We are finding our way with the Emperor's light as our torch."

"Not my concern." Abrahaim said quietly as he sat up, armor servos whining. He looked down at himself and then around. "Your work?"

"Some." The Sister replied calmly. She nodded to where Violet stood frozen. "This is Violet, an operative of the being known as the Lotus. She decided Imperial Guard armor would be less threatening than her normal attire." Abrahaim nodded as his gaze landed on the two Tenno who watched him. "They keep tight security here." She said quietly.

"Wise in these dark times." The Space Marine said as he slid his legs from the table and stood slowly. He stretched a little, the armor moving easily. "So... now what?" He asked.

"Now that you are awake..." The sister said calmly. "Any impairment?" She asked clinically. The Space Marine shook his head and she nodded. "Then you are free to go."

"Just like that?" Abrahaim asked as both Tenno moved away from the door.

"They would like answers." Sister Abigail said quietly. "But no one is stupid enough to try to interrogate you."

"I do not have any answers, Sister." The Blood Angel replied just as quietly. "I have a mission. No more, no less."

"I know." Sister Abigail said sadly. "May _I_ ask...?"

"What do you wish to know?" The Marine replied as he stood.

"What happened to you?" The Sister Hospitaller asked carefully. "You seem... off."

"I am. I was a clone before the Emperor found me and chose me." The Marine said calmly. Both Tenno stilled and he nodded to them. "Yes, a Grineer. An aberrant one. Useless dross to be thrown away. I was sent into the Void to scout. What I found...was not what I expected."

"You _were_ _**found**_." Sister Abigail said, her voice reverent and the Space Marine nodded to her.

"Found. Weighed. Measured and judged worthy. Torn down and remade." Abrahaim agreed. "I do not know if it was real or a fever dream or some kind of psyker vision. But it happened. The Emperor chose me to be Adeptus Asartes. I accepted the burden. I was remade into who I am now." Both Tenno nodded to him and he looked at Violet who was shaking her head slowly. "Yes?"

"I am trying to wrap my head around this." Violet admitted. "It is obvious to anyone with eyes and ears that you believe what you do. That your mission is to help save this system. But..." She shook her head again. "I want to believe. But my faith has been abused."

"I am not a chaplain, Operative Violet." Abrahaim said quietly. "All I am is what you see. A weapon. A tool of the Emperor to defend humanity. No more, no less."

"I disagree." All eyes turned to a door that opened and small dark haired girl stepped in, a covered tray in her hands. "Adeptes Asartes are more than mere weapons. More than human."

"And less." Abrahaim replied and waited.

"I am Cecelia." The young woman said quietly. "A... seeker of knowledge."

"That path is dangerous." Abrahaim said, her posture still. "Dark things lurk in such."

"Secrets are hidden for a reason in many cases." Cecelia agreed. "I am no inquisitor, to ferret out the truth by any means fair or foul. I would say I am a scribe. A historian."

"History can be marvelous or dangerous." Abrahaim said slowly. "Too much information can kill as surely as too little."

"That I know far too well." The girl replied as she set the tray on the floor. "Your sword was destroyed. We could not repair it." She slid the cover off the tray and his pistol and boltgun lay on it. Along with something else. "We have repaired what we could and leave them with you. We will not leave you unweaponed."

"Scribe Cecelia..." Abrahaim stared at the gauntlet with its five long curved talons. "I cannot accept that." Adeptes Asartes could not, _would_ not, take gifts from just anyone.

"I know." Cecelia agreed. "Will you accept the plans and resources to make one of your own?"

"Why?" Abrahaim asked, not moving.

"Because you have made a difference." Cecelia said quietly. "Space Marines are defenders of man. We may not always agree on what must be done or how, but we _do_ know when we meet fellow defenders."

"_You_...are Tenno...?" The Space Marine asked carefully, looking at the two warframes.

"Not exactly." Cecelia said sadly. "I am partnered with one and a member of a clan of Tenno. But my own circumstances are odd as well. They do not speak in the field. It is a matter of tradition as well as a weapon against their foes."

"Ah." Abrahaim nodded.

"I have no such traditions, so I can make a good go between." Cecelia said with a nod of her own. "The Tenno would honor you with a gift to help defend this system against the enemies of man. You cannot accept the weapon itself, but can you accept the wherewithal to make one? To bear with the knowledge that you do not stand alone against the enemies of man here?"

"Sister Abigail?" Abrahaim asked slowly. "Do you vouch for these?"

"They have been far kinder than they needed to be." Sister Abigail said formally. "Far, far kinder than the Inquisitions would be. They have acted with honor in all of their dealings with me. I do not know if they would do as well with you."

"Fairly said." Abrahaim shook his head. "But I cannot-" He paused as Abigail bent down to pick up the gauntlet. "Sister..." He said mildly as she staggered under it's mass.

"I sense no traps or trackers." The Sister said quietly. "My... other parts have an affinity for such things. They concur. This is a gift." She bent down on one knee and offered it to him. "For the Emperor."

The Blood Angel stared at her for along moment and then slowly reached out and slid his hand into the gauntlet's opening. As energy started to crackle, she released the lightning claw and he hefted it to stare at it.

"This will fare well against heavy armor." Abrahaim said with a nod. "Thank you, Tenno. The Emperor's foes will rue this day."

"You are free to go, Brother Abrahaim." Cecelia said as both of the Tenno bowed to him and left the room. "There are no blocks or trackers. Feel free to teleport wherever you wish. You will not be followed."

"Why not?" Abrahaim asked as Sister Abigail rose to stand with Violet and Cecelia. "Tenno have abilities that I do not. Why not track me?"

"Because Tenno have _enough_ enemies." Cecelia said with a nod. "The Grineer are massing and we will respond. It is what we do. Those of us who are not warriors will support those of us who are."

"Well thought." Abrahaim said after a moment. "And me?"

"You do well enough on your own when not ambushed by overwhelming numbers." Violet said with a shrug. "We know better than to get in your way."

"I am not one for double talk." Abrahaim said quietly. "What do you wish?"

"I wish for us not to work at cross purposes." Violet said formally. "So far, we have done well to stay out of each other's way. But you have acted very circumspectly on occasion when you did not need to. We need to coordinate our efforts. At the very least, to keep from hindering each other."

"Coordination can be a deadly danger." Abrahaim disagreed calmly. "If two disparate elements attempt to coordinate, things often go amiss."

"I agree." Violet said with a nod. "Hence why I am offering myself as a conduit." Abrahaim froze, looking at her and she nodded. "Just so we understand one another. I am a soldier, if not your equal or theirs..." She nodded to the Tenno. "I know the enemies of this time and place. I serve the Lotus, and I serve humanity." She bent to one knee. "Use me if you will."

"You know not what you ask." Abrahaim said slowly, looking around. Cecelia would not meet his eyes but her face was sad. Abigail met his gaze calmly. "She... You... What have you told her, Sister Abigal?"

"I have told her what will happen if she becomes a Sister." Abigail said sadly. "She seems to wish it."

"_No._" Abrahaim snapped, his voice stern. "She is not of our faith, Sister. She cannot know what it is she seeks."

"I want to believe." Violet said softly. "I see your faith and the Sister's... and I am reminded of what I was once. Before..." She shook her head. "I want to believe."

"I cannot impose belief." Abrahaim said firmly. "Only the Inquisition uses such tactics and _they_ are beneath an Adeptus Asartes. I found my own way. So must you." Violet looked at Abigail who shook her head.

"I am... who I am, Operative Violet." Abigail said sadly. "I serve the Emperor. But I cannot hear him anywhere except in my own mind. My own faith. I cannot give you my faith. All I can do is try to show you the way. Brother Abrahaim's way is not for us." Violet bowed her head slowly.

"I give apology." Violet said quietly. "So many betrayals. So much death and destruction. I... I wish I was who I was once. When I was young and the world was a simpler place. But that girl is long gone." She went still as Abrahaim laid a hand on her shoulder. It was gentle, that huge armored hand.

"You will find your way, Operative Violet." The Space Marine said quietly. "Be true to yourself and hold your own counsel. Look within, not without." He patted her shoulder and then knelt to retrieve his pistol and rifle. "I thank you for your assistance. And Scribe Cecelia...?"

"Yes?" Cecelia asked.

"Be _wary_ of what you seek." The Space Marine warned her. "You _just_ might find it."

"I know my limits." Cecelia said with a nod. "And I do not walk alone. But your warning is taken, Brother Abrahaim."

"Fare thee well." The Space Marine said as he keyed his teleporter and vanished in a haze of golden energy. Only after he was gone did both of the other female turn on Violet who wilted under their gaze.

"I..." The former Corpus Special forces operative started to speak and then cut herself off. She slumped a bit and took off the helmet.

"You need rest, Violet." Cecelia's voice was neutral. "Or the docs will get annoyed with you. _Again._" Her last word was sour and Violet cringed a little. It was really no laughing matter. She chafed under the restrictions that had been placed on her. She pushed herself far too hard and far too fast. It was who and what she was. She held out a hand that Violet eyed.

"I want to help!" Violet said sharply. "That is all. _Help!_ I am stuck here until this crap heals. All of my compatriots are out fighting. I want..." She broke off as Abigail stepped forward. "No..." She stepped back from the armored healer who had a hypo in hand now. "Don't."

"Violet." Cecelia took another step forward and Violet retreated another step. "You hurt yourself every time. We will not allow you to keep hurting yourself. And asking Abrahaim to alter you... Violet..." She scolded. "He knew you were not sincere."

"I was." Violet's voice was tiny and both women advancing on her paused. "I want to _believe_, okay?" She demanded. "I see your belief..." She waved at Cecelia "I see her belief..." She waved at Abigail. "And I remember who I was... once. So long ago. I want to be good. I want to believe. But... I can't anymore."

"Violet..." Sister Abigail's voice was sad now. "What I believe doesn't make _sense_. I am a construct. A mental _overlay_. Nothing more. My faith was imposed on me. I know no other way to be. You... have the _choice_." She reached out to slowly touch the hypo to Violet's neck and caught the now crying woman as she fell.

"I...wanna... believe..." Violet managed to croak out as consciousness fled. Sister Abigail hefted the unconscious human woman easily and carried her towards the door. Cecelia followed. Both Tenno had vanished.

Outside of the room they had tended Abrahaim in, the decor was pure Orokin. Sister Abigail carried Vioelt through another door and laid her on a bed that was surrounded by medical equipment. Cecelia followed and waited while Sister Abigail ran some scan. Then the sister sighed.

"She hurt herself again." The Hospitaller said with a half groan, half snarl. "It is times like this I wish I _was_ a chaplain. A Canoness maybe." She complained as she worked. "Aid her body? I can do that. Mend a soul? I know not the way. My own faith I cannot give her. It is not real."

"It is real enough for _you_." Cecelia said quietly. The Sister Hospittaler paused as Cecelia stepped up and slowly wrapped her arms around the frozen medic. "If there is _one_ thing Tenno have learned, it is not to trample on other people's beliefs. We have no one creed that we follow and we _still_ have trouble occasionally."

"If there is _one_ thing Man can do, it is find causes that divide us, tear us from the Emperor's light." Sister Abigail patted Cecelia's shoulder and turned back to the sleeping operative. "I will do what I can, but Abigail and Ab'gal'ui are needed as well. Abigail needs training."

"There is a teacher available." Cecelia said quietly. Sister Abigail looked at her and Cecelia nodded. "Not here. She has another student. One who is ill but recovering. She cannot come, so you must go."

"Will I know where?" This was Abigail's voice. Cecelia shook her head and Abigail slumped a bit. "You... shouldn't take the chance."

"You are vouched for." Cecelia said with a shrug. "But security will be _very_ tight. Step out of line and they will shoot first and probably not ask questions later."

"I understand." Abigail said with a slow nod. "Do I get her name? This teacher?" Cecelia smiled.

"You know of her. The girl wore an urchinlike grin now. "Her name is Lis."

* * *

><p><strong>Titan, Moon of Saturn<strong>

_Oh...dear..._

Oracle Janet lay in her pool of healing fluid and tried not to fret. Her attendants were dutiful, tending her, keeping her company in her infirmity. She was recovering, if nowhere near as quickly as she had hoped.

"Juliet?" Janet said quietly.

"Yes, Oracle!" The response was immediate and Janet tried not to sigh. She was trying to get them to call her by name, but it was an uphill battle.

"I need a quick communication to someone on Mercury. As untraceable as you can make it." The Oracle said as others of her white robed attendants perked up. She hadn't wanted them to dress that way either, but they had taken to the roles as if born to them. She thought it... amused them to play the parts of 'prophetesses'. If only they knew...

"Of course." Juliet said with a nod. As a former Clergy operative, she had access to all kinds of secure communication systems. "Who?"

"I need to talk to Shepherd."


	10. Chapter 10

**Fast Attack**

The Grineer had the largest military force in the Solar System. Considering that they were all clones, that made sense. They could be replaced far easier than humans who took time to grow and learn. Tenno were functionally immortal in many ways, but they were _always_ outnumbered. They made up for it, mind you. Any Tenno was a match for a couple of hundred Grineer. Even just out of cryo, any Tenno was a handful, as many Grineer strike teams had found out. But the Grineer had a never ending supply of troops. The Tenno numbers were finite and it was possible to kill one. It was insanely hard, but possible.

Of course, when said Tenno was already hurt and nearly out of power... it got easier.

She was trapped. That did not bother her. The Grineer had adapted. That did not bother her either. Very little bothered her now. She was... It was...

The Grineer had massed again and she raised her weapon despite the hole in her left arm. She was not going to surrender. Tenno did not. Not that Grineer would accept such. For them, the only good Tenno was a dead and preferably dismembered and incinerated one. There was no room for the concept of 'mercy' in Grineer. Tenno as well had been trained from early memory -most of them anyway- to be living weapons. Some had come into it late, but embraced the life.

Tiana summoned the last vestiges of her power and cast Prism again. The glowing ball soared over the battlefield. She had no idea why some of her clan had called it a 'disco ball' and really didn't care much. All that she cared about was that the Grineer in front of her screamed and fell as many beams of coherent light tore through them. Once that would have bothered her a little. She had been Grineer once. It felt like ages instead of just a few short years, but she had learned so much. She had been given so much. A home, a place, a family who had worked hard to help her, to cure her genetic deterioration. They had failed in the end, but through no fault of their own.

It had been as much desperation as the culmination of her studies when she had been presented with a warframe. Assuming the burden of a full Tenno had hurt, but change was always traumatic. She had grown, surrounded by friends and an actual family. She had thought she knew what family was, but she hadn't. She had learned. She had learned, so much. The Grineer would kill her, overrun her and tear her warframe apart. But that would not be the end.

She had been a bit dismayed when she had learned the history of the warframe she wore. The only copy had been recovered and the plans disseminated through the ranks of the Tenno along with the memories it had contained. The memories of what had befallen the Tenno who had worn it during the war with the Sentients. Even now, she was fuzzy on what a 'Sentient' actually was. Had been. Whatever. But the feelings she had felt... Her doomed sister's last moments... It had hurt. Worse than any beating. Worse than any punishment, Grineer or Tenno. Worse than any torture. It had hurt Tiana in ways she had never understood. She had broken down and cried for the first time in her life even as all of her newfound kin and closed ranks around her.

She sent another Ogris round at the massing Grineer and several of them flew away in pieces.

_Lotus?_ Tiana asked, still a bit hesitant. She wasn't at ease dealing with the Lotus and now? She wouldn't get the chance.

_I am here, Tenno Tiana._ The Lotus' voice was sad. _Help is coming._

_You and I both know it won't be in time. _Tiana said quietly as she ducked back into cover, bullets flying all around her. _The mission is accomplished._ She hadn't just destroyed the reactor on the Grineer ship, she had smashed it into flinders. Then again, she had a bit of a gripe against the Grineer. Just a little one.

_You do not know that._ The Lotus said softly.

_I regret nothing._ Tiana said as she rose up and fired again, another group of Grineer flying away in pieces. But there were so many of them and she was out of power. One stupid door scanner had messed up her whole mission. She had killed it. She knew she had killed it. But it had shorted out her systems anyway. Then a whole corridor lined with arc traps. She had detested the filthy things when she had been a Grineer. Now? She hated them with a passion. _I have been on short time since Karl found me and took me in. I... never expected to find a family. This will hurt them, Lotus._

_I know. _The Lotus said sadly. The kindness in the tone was just too much as a feral growling sounded. Tiana rose again, but something struck her and she drew her pistol as her rocket launcher went flying. A Drahk Master! He had disarmed her!

_I am afraid._ Tiana managed to say as Drahk charged her. The first two fell, but then the others were on her. She fought. It was what she knew, what she was. Even when she could not win, she would not stop fighting.

_Fear not, Tenno._ The Lotus comforted her. _I am with you. We will welcome you._

_Tell... Karl..._ Then she could not even speak mental, just scream as a Drahk knocked her down and several sets of teeth bit down hard. She struggled and two went flying, but others latched on as more Grineer closed in.

_I will._

* * *

><p>"Die!"<p>

The scream sounded as a huge red form with the two large rockets attached to its backpack landed with a smash in the midst of the mass of monsters who had just finished their grisly work. Grineer thought they knew what rage was. They didn't. But they learned. Between the crackling claw and the huge pistol, the battle was over in moments. But as the red armored from turned to the one he had come to help, he knew he had been too late.

"Rest well, warrior." Brother Abrahaim bowed his head for a moment. "Perhaps..." He shook his head. What was left of the warframe was not worth mentioning. "I give apology. I was delayed."

_Not your fault._ The Blood Angel froze as a golden rimed transparent form appeared nearby. The female humanoid looked... sad. _In war there are casualties. I chose my path, brother Abrahaim. I did my duty._

"That is all any can hope to do." The Space Marine said quietly. One of the Grineer moved. Maybe to try and crawl away -doubtful with his guts hanging out as they were- maybe just dying slower and Abrahaim put a bolt pistol round through his head. "Fare thee well, Tenno." The spirit bowed to the Space Marine and vanished. Abrahaim knelt quickly and a long tube slid from his armored hand into the remains of the Tenno. Golden energy pulsed.

_No!_ Her scream came from nowhere. _What are you __**doing**__?_ _Let me go!_

"You are needed." Abrahaim replied as he rose and took to the air again.

_You don't know what you are __**doing**__!_ The other snapped at him.

"Yes I do. Rest now, sister." The red armored form said and the other voice cut off. "Transit!" He commanded as he cut the jump pack. The golden energy that enveloped him felt... angry.

* * *

><p>"<em>What?<em>" Karl was not one to snap at his clan's medics, but this...

It had been a bad day. Warrior Tenno did not die in bed, everyone knew this. But this... The team that had come to rescue Tiana had been too late.

"She is not in the remnants of the warframe." Alicia said as she stepped away from the pitiful pieces of what had been a Mirage warframe. "And she is not in the database. Karl... We lost her."

"I don't believe that." Karl said with a snarl. "That door was rigged. Ric found evidence that someone rigged a separate disabling pulse. A trap. Someone set a trap for Tiana. Or for some Tenno."

"Any of us could have fallen for such a trap, Karl." Alicia said quietly. "Tiana wasn't stupid. But..."

"I know." The clan leader said with a sigh. "She wasn't experienced and her totally justified hatred of Grineer blinded her at times. But she knew Grineer tech, so... someone trapped her. And if she isn't in the warframe or the database then someone else has her. But who?"

"And why?" Alicia asked, her tone worried. "A Tenno's mind is our most dangerous weapon. Nothing else comes close. Tiana was no Grand Master, but she was good. _Who_ could take her and _why_?" Both paused as an Excalibur Prime entered the tiny morgue that served Karl's clan. It was rarely used. "Will?" She asked when her mate did not speak.

"I scoured the whole area. I do not know why." Will said quietly. "But I know _who_." He held up a small cylindrical object. Both the Rhino and the Trinity inhaled in shock as they saw the small shell casing.

It had a winged skull on it. Abrahaim's weapons used such casings.

"Why would _he_ take Tiana?" Alicia asked, shocked. "He is a defender of man, no?"

"I don't know." Will sounded worried now. "Sensei..."

"We need more information." Karl agreed. "But if he _did_ take our sister... we are going to get her _back_."

A hungry growl matched his tone from both the Trinity and the Excalibur Prime.

* * *

><p>Tiana was floating. She was... It was calm. She was calm. Everything was hazy, golden. She felt... wrong. This was wrong. She knew it was. But she was calm. Everything was calm. She could feel things happening to her. But whatever was happening could not pierce whatever was holding her. Holding her mind away from whatever was happening.<p>

"How do you feel?" The voice was nowhere and everywhere. It was neither male nor female, but had aspects of both. Tiana did not respond and the voice sighed. "We are not enemies, child."

"Took..." Tiana managed to grate out past whatever was holding her.

"Yes." The voice sounded sad now. "Your body was dead. Your patterns were degrading and you had no access to the database. You would have been lost."

"Prisoner..." Tiana grunted.

"Ah... No and yes." The voice replied. "We did not want to hold you. But you are fighting. It is what you do. What your kind are for. We have prepared you a new body. A human one. You wanted to not be Grineer, yes?" Tiana tried to stiffen, but whatever was holding her was pervasive. "Now, now..." The voice clucked. "Don't struggle. Almost done, girl." Tiana did not fight as power washed over her. Instead she curled her mind up into a ball. A protective... "Okay..." The voice said sadly. "Your way then. This is going to hurt."

Tiana spat in her mind, but then she screamed as power washed over her. Not a soothing current, a _torrent_. It seeped into every part of her, prying, delving. She focused herself, hiding her deepest secrets, but whatever was digging into her mind was too pervasive and too strong. Before she realized, she was sobbing as the power withdrew. But then it came back and she tried to scream as it focused on her, deep, deep within her mind. But she had no defense against the power that surged through her.

Then it stopped.

" Interesting. So... Avalon survived... And this... _Eliza_ is Empress..." The voice mused. Tiana whimpered but the voice was kind now. "Easy child. It is all right." All Tiana could do was weep and the voice sighed. "You may be new to the Tenno, but you did them proud, child. Rest now. When you wake, you will assume your place as a defender of Man."

_No..._ Tiana begged as soothing golden energy carried her into darkness. She could feel bits of her fading, other parts coming in... She was... it was... she could hear music. It was beautiful, but nothing she knew. _Please..._

"Rest now. You will serve, Daughter of the Emperor."

The black haired female human lay still as golden energy worked over her body. The silent form to one side did not speak. He did not have to. The disdain he was feeling came through quite clear in his body language.

-We made her a new body and are finishing the mind alterations now.- The voice of the artificial intelligence said quietly. -You will need support.-

"You are cleansing her mind." The Space Marine said with a snarl. "She did not deserve that."

-Not cleansing.- The machine intelligence corrected him calmly. -Altering. She will remember being a Seraphim Battle Sister of the Order of the Martyred Lady. No more.-

"I brought her here for you to help." The Space Marine said firmly. "You have harmed her. This... is dishonorable."

-We are helping her.- The other replied calmly. -The warframe was all that was keeping her from death. This will be a better use of her than fading away.-

"This is _wrong_." Abrahaim snapped. "She defends humankind. The Emperor would not condone such."

-She is Tenno. Tenno serve.- The other replied. -If she had been lost, it would have been... unfortunate. She can aid you now. Bless the mind too small for doubt.- Abrahaim went stiff as a golden beam of energy struck his head from behind. -She will serve the Emperor and fight for the Emperor. Would you deny her that chance, Space Marine?-

"No." Abrahaim said firmly as the golden energy faded. "For the Emperor."

-For the Emperor.- Was there a hint of smugness in the machine's voice? If so, it faded.

* * *

><p>"<em>What?<em>"

No one blamed the speaker for her stunned outburst. No one. Shepherd wasn't her name, more a title. She was a spiritual guide for a small colony of humans who were hiding from the Grineer on Mercury. Getting her into this conversation had been... interesting. For one thing, she was human. She had some skill and power, but in the end, she was just as human as Janet was.

The Oracle nodded slowly. This virtual world was small, a couch and two chairs set in a small, comfortable room. At least she had managed to make herself look normal, without the burn dressings that she would wear for some time. She was still coming to terms with her abilities. She had a great deal of power, but not a lot of practice in using said power and if she made a mistake? ... She shied away from that mental path. She had seen way too many of her mistakes in visions to ever think she was infallible.

"Let me get this straight..." Shepherd said slowly. "We have a character from a _game_ running around slaughtering Grineer." Janet nodded. "And his religion..." She swallowed hard.

"He reveres an Emperor." Cecelia had kept her mouth shut for most of the conversation. She was very nervous and Janet laid a hand on her arm. The girl was scared, and who could blame her? She was the best authority on the game currently and hadn't even quibbled when Janet had asked for her presence. "Not 'quite' a deity, but close. A father figure whom he reveres. In the game, the Emperor made the Primarchs from himself and each of _them_ made the Space Marines from _them_selves. So... technically, he did create them. He gave them a purpose. To kill anything he tells them to. To be his 'Angels of Death'."

"I have studied a lot of religions..." Shepherd said slowly. "That... seems wrong."

"That is because it is." Janet was still trying to wrap her mind around everything she had seen. "It was made for a game, not real life."

"Wonderful." Shepherd said with a sigh. "We got word of a new presence. Steel Meridian is calling him a 'savior' and other such drek. Lots of people are talking."

"I know." Janet said softly. Both other women looked at her and she nodded. "If it goes beyond talk... he is one man. Well..." She qualified. "One Space Marine. He cannot be everywhere." Shepherd nodded.

"I have curbed what I can." The religious guide said with a sigh. "I mean the last thing we need is another cult popping up." She glanced at Janet who nodded. Janet knew what Shepherd suspected. That there was a lot more to the woman she had met on Mercury during the hunt for the Elena Greensky than met the eye.

"I agree." Janet said with a fervent nod. "I am no 'messiah' myself. Just a woman with abilities others do not have." Shepherd raised an eyebrow and Janet shrugged.

"Considering some of what I have heard about you..." Shepherd said slowly. Janet froze and Shepherd smiled a little forlornly. "I had to be sure."

"I am no leader." Janet said firmly. "Maybe I can do some good, maybe not. But I can help a bit here and there. I am no messiah though so don't even _try_." She said sternly.

"I know that." Shepherd said with a smile that faded. "Others will not."

"Right now, I am only concerned about this 'Space Marine' and Violet." Janet said with a shrug. "I don't..." She trailed off as Shepherd shook her head.

"I can help." Shepherd said calmly. "If I know the truth."

"Shepherd... I..." Janet paused as Cecelia rose, stepped to her and gave her a hug. Then the girl vanished. "I..."

"You are scared." Shepherd said with a nod. "I understand. Any power is frightening. I can help, if you let me."

"There are things I cannot tell you." Janet hedged. Shepherd nodded.

"I know." The spiritual guide said with a smile. "What can you tell me?"

"If we don't find him fast, we will have _major_ problems when the Tenno discover what he has done..."


	11. Chapter 11

**And you didn't think it could get **_**worse**_**...**

The Banshee warframe moved through the silence that had enfolded the small human colony. Venus was not a garden spot. Even under Orokin, with all of its technological and biological wonders, the terraforming of such a complicated biosphere had eluded even the greatest of Orokin minds for a long, long time. They had finally reduced the atmosphere and managed to contain most of the toxins in said atmosphere, allowing for limited colonization by hardy souls willing to live in squalor for a chance to make the place better. For a long time, things had finally seemed to be looking up. But then... The Sentients had come. Venus was not hit that hard during the resulting conflicts. But it had not been spared either. The system wide horrors of the Collapse had touched Venus just as surely as they had Earth, if not quite so dramatically.

As always, humans had persevered despite the horrors. They had survived. First in packets, then in larger groups. The population had begun to rebuild, carefully. They always had to be wary of the freak storms that the planet still threw occasionally. The toxic rains still fell, stripping protection less hardy that a warframe in minutes. What they did to anything _less_ strong than a warframe caught outside in them was beyond horrific. That was why, to this day, anyone guilty of capital crimes on Venus was simply exiled from the caverns that humans called home. A death sentence in all but name.

The problem wasn't really the weather though. The Orokin had taken advantage of the fact that the planet was closer to the Sun and the automated factories that had been placed in orbit had been extensive. Most of those had fallen into ruin despite the automated safeguards, but some had survived. These had attracted notice.

The Corpus had come for the factories, but they hadn't stopped there. Humans survived all over the system in isolated colonies. Venus was no exception. Many of those colonies were one step removed from barbarism, with the remaining Orokin ultra tech their sole sustenance. It didn't require much in the way of maintenance and allowed for the survivors to breathe, eat, and basically survive if not in the comforts that most Orokin had taken for granted. The Corpus usually did not meddle with such. But occasionally... They did.

This particular colony hadn't had a chance. Before any of the colonists had realized that there was a problem, the sophoric gas had rendered most of them unconscious. A few had been allergic, or had fallen badly and the Corpus teams that had come in had been swift and thorough. None of the colonists had died. Some would need more care than could be provided in such a place, but none would die. At least... not as a result of the gas.

The Banshee kept her temper carefully as she walked through the still forms laid out near one of the landing bays. All of them, from the eldest who looked about forty, to the youngest who might have been a year old, was unconscious and kept that way by a small device adhered to their skull. If things had gone to plan, the Corpus med techs would have loaded the still forms into a transport and taken them off to Neptune to be indoctrinated. To be turned into more cogs for the massive machine that was the Corpus. Things... had not gone as planned.

_Lotus..._ Two sighed inside her head. _Two hundred of them. All asleep. Is there anything we can do?_

_We will try._ The Lotus replied sadly. _But the Corpus are retreating. They have no choice. The Grineer attack was overwhelming. The Balor Fomorian was enough to destroy most of the Corpus transport ships in the area. They are still putting up a fight, but..._

_I know. _Two said sadly as she knelt beside a little girl. The Corpus had been thorough. A thin gown would keep her warm, if not comfortable. But the shaven head and the... tubes... Two shook her head. _We cannot save everyone. I will do the mission, Lotus. Any Corpus left?_

_No. _ The Lotus said quietly as Two rose. _They dug too deep._

_Yeah._ Two agreed as she stepped to the sealed door that led out of the hangar bay. The nearly invisible flora that was growing just inside it was clear to her enhanced vision. Infested.

Two did not know where the Infested had come from. The memories that she had received from Serene suggested that the virulent plague known as the Technocyte Virus had been engineered even before the Orokin idiots had started playing with it during the Sentient war. But if anyone knew where it had come from originally, no one was talking. Some might spout tales of Sentient bioweapons, of Orokin foolishness, of man's greed. None knew for sure. Two had suspicions though. It... wasn't human, that virus and it made everything it touched animalistic. The oldest of Tenno tales told of Hayden Tenno, who had been infected, but instead of being transformed into a monster, had transcended his humanity and become so much more.

The Banshee stepped through the hatch and sealed it behind her for all the good _that_ would do against a _virus_. Every sense was on high alert so she heard it immediately. A voice. Singing. And... a voice she _knew_?

_Lotus!_ The Banshee said slowly. _I hear Tiana's voice! Singing! I do not know the words._

_Be wary, Tenno! _The Lotus said sharply. _I cannot sense Tenno Tiana in there. I sense... infested. Some are dying. A battle is occurring, but the weapons I do not know._

_I thought she was gone. _Two said as she ghosted forward, her Paris Prime in hand and drawn. Her Shade hovered at her side. _Her warframe was destroyed and her essence gone._

_We do not know what happened._ The Lotus said sharply. _Be wary!_ She repeated.

_If my sister lives in any way..._ Two said firmly. _I will find away to help her._

_It was definitely Orokin tech. _The Lotus said quietly as two moved forward at a crouch. _The bits that were scanned on the Space Marine were clear. But what he was made for or why we have not been able to ascertain. The weapons are very powerful._

_I have no intention of charging in to get shot by one of those monster guns. _Two agreed._ But we need to know. I will remain in touch. _The Lotus faded from her mind, but not entirely.

Two crept forward, very sense on hyperalert as she did what she did. She was a ghost. A shadow of death and destruction. No more, no less. The Tenno known as Two's mind had twinned from the Tenno known as Serene's. Up to a point, she had the exact same memories and skills as her darker sister. She wore a Banshee warframe just as Serene did, although her own color choices were a bit less... gothic. She had some brighter patches on her armor, more to break up the silhouette than to actually draw attention. That form of combat was for others of her clan. Two was a ghost.

In many ways, Two always felt more akin to the original Tenno than to many of her contemporary kin. She knew most of the tales of Hayden Tenno and many of the few facts that were still known. She had even talked to his shade a few times. It had always humbled her, the feeling of being in the presence of the First was not something that was easily put into words or set aside. But he had always spoken kindly to her. He had been a master of stealth himself after all and she walked that path. She had no idea what a 'ninja' was, or why Hayden had called her that on occasion. Some kind of sneaky warrior being, obviously from the context. But as to what they actually had been? No one Two had spoken to had any idea. It was not really germane, but it was endearing. The remnants of the First knew her and liked her.

She... wasn't always so sure she was real. It was hard on occasion. She had Serene's memories. But she was not Serene. She was her own person. Everyone who knew her was adamant about that. Amelia in particular had little tolerance for Two's occasional mental meanderings. Two smiled, but kept her focus as she moved forward into the cavern ahead of her. Amelia had so many wonderful ways of distracting the sometimes morose Tenno in her care even when they were not her chosen life partner as Two was. Two knew that Amelia would perish before Two herself did. Probably. Warrior Tenno _very_ rarely died in bed. Of course, Amelia often made her feel like she had died and gone to heaven in-

Two came to a quick halt as Infested snarled from close ahead. She was still hidden in shadow and... She went totally still as a 'whoosh' sounded and the screams of dying Infested came to her ears.

_Flamethrower._ Two's thoughts went as still as her body had. _That was a __**flamethrower**__!_

The singing was continuing and it wasn't any language that Two knew. But the sound was a hymn of some kind. She had no idea how she knew that. The cryo-nesia had bitten deep into Serene's memories as it had most Tenno.

"Stop!" The voice was familiar! Two tried not to gasp as she heard Jasmina's voice come from nearby. "We are not enemies!" What was the _Caretaker_ doing here?

"I defend Mankind from xeno filth." The female voice said in an odd accent that Two couldn't quite place. But she did know the voice. Tiana. "You are Tenno... or are you not?"

Two crept forward and peered around a corner. The Ember Prime that Two knew was Jasmina stood near one wall, her glaive in hand, but up in a warding motion, not ready to attack. The Caretaker stood between a fallen Infested form and...

Two paused. She had never seen armor like this before. It was... sort of like the Space Marine's armor, but not quite. First and foremost, the wearer was female. That was quite clear from the chestpiece of the armor. It bore symbols like what had been on the armor that Sister Abigail had worn, but it was very different. Sister Abigail's white armor had been serviceable, but mainly intended for light protection as she tended wounded. This... This was black and red and obviously intended for heavy combat. She had a large weapon in her hands aimed at the Ember Prime. It had a tank on the bottom and a small flame at the vented end. Clearly the flamethrower that Two had heard.

_Lotus!_ Two begged in her mind. _What is this?_

_Adeptas Sororitas. _The Lotus replied instantly. She had access to all of the information they had uncovered after all. _This... is bad. The Space Marines were fanatics, but even __**they**__ stepped carefully around the __**Sisters of Battle**__._

_Wonderful._ Two said slowly. _But Tiana's voice._ The Ember did not retreat and the other armored woman aimed the flamethrower. "Tiana! Stop!" Two snapped as she stepped out of hiding.

"I... know you..." The black armored woman spoke slowly. "_Two_... Your name is _Two_."

"And you are Tiana. My _sister_!" Two said sharply as she stepped forward.

_Tenno Two, what are you __**doing**__?_ The Lotus snapped. Jasmina did not move.

"What happened?" Two pleaded, her bow falling to her side. "I thought you were dead. We recovered your warframe. You... It was torn to pieces." Jasmina jerked, but did not relax. The other armored form did not move her aim point. "What _happened_?" She repeated as she stopped well out of reach of the strangely armored woman.

"I do not know." The other said quietly. "It was all hazy, golden. The Emperor came to me. He took me up and gave me a place again. I serve. I defend humanity."

"Sister..." Two pleaded. "Let me help you."

"I do not need your help." The other shook her head. "This one was going to take the humans. Sacrifice them. Kill them." Two spun in place to stare at Jasmina who shook her head.

"Not if I can help it." Jasmina said quietly. "Alad V's madness is spreading. We need the biomass, but only if they volunteer. We do not just _take_ as he does."

"Jasmina?" Betrayal sang in Two voice as she stared at the woman she and Serene had once called friend.

"It isn't like that, Two." Jasmina said quietly. "The Corpus cannot evacuate these people. The Tenno cannot. We _can_."

"To be subsumed into your mass mind." Two's voice hardened.

"_Only_ if they so _choose_!" Jasmina snapped right back. "We would ask first. We do not compel or demand. We certainly do not kidnap and alter people against their wills." The glare she leveled on the red and black armored Sister of Battle should have rendered the woman down to ash. "We give them the choice! Unlike some." She spat at the armored form. "We know what you did to her." She... wasn't speaking to Tiana _or_ Two. "We _remember_."

"Do you?" A soft voice sounded from the shadows and two went totally still as a tall form simply... appeared out of nowhere. The Limbo warframe gave a shrug. "Do you _really_?" There was no threat in his word, simply honest query. But... there was.

_Lotus?_ Two asked. She had no idea who this being was. She was not expecting the male Tenno to _laugh_.

"Still a slave, Serene?" The male asked, his tone somewhere between kindness and madness. "Some things never change."

_Oh no... Horus! _The Lotus commanded. _Two! RUN! __**NOW! **__You __**cannot**__ beat him!_

Two spun and took to her heels as flame erupted behind her and Jasmina's scream of agony was matched by the screams of Infested. It went against the grain, to flee, to...

Something slammed into Two, throwing her to the side. She rolled to her feet and... wait a moment? Why was she glowing? Or was the _world_ glowing?

"Well, well, well..." The shimmering form of the Limbo appeared nearby, also wreathed in hazy energy. "Not Serene. But... close...so very close..." Two wasted no time on debate, she ran. The Limbo's laugh followed her as she ran to a door... and it didn't open for her! She slammed into it and fell backwards. "My world. My rules, dear girl. What _is_ your name?" Two rose, her bow in hand now. "Now, now..." The Limbo chided her. "Don't be like that. I would like to introduce myself properly. No need to be rude after all. I took the name Horus."

"Why?" Two demanded as she took aim. "Why do this?"

"I have a better question." The Limbo had a smirk in his voice as she stepped forward, his hand hidden behind his back. "Why... so..._serious_?"

Some shred of Serene's memories saved Two. She threw herself to the side instead of drawing her bow and the Vasto shot that would have torn right through her went wide. She rolled to her feet, Kunai in hand.

"You cannot best me, girl." The man Tenno said with a snort. "Not with those."

"Why?" Two demanded. "Why change Tiana? She was my sister! My clanmate! You hurt her!"

"She was dead." Horus replied calmly. "Now she is not. I fail to see how that is 'hurting' her." Two threw both knives she had in hand. Both passed through the hazy form as if it wasn't there. "Silly girl... An Eldar I think for you..." He mused. "A Harlequin. An excellent foil for Brother Abrahaim and Sister Tiana. To keep them off balance and..."

"And... _what_?" Tiana's cold voice asked from behind him. He spun to see her standing there, Jasmina at her side. The flamethrower aimed at the mad Limbo's chest. "You... Horus! Spawn of _Chaos!_"

Whatever the Limbo might have said was cut off as the Sister of Battle opened fire. Literally. But the flames passed right through him and he laughed.

"You will serve!" He cackled gleefully. "Tenno, Grineer, Corpus, Infested... All will take part in the great game. All will be grim and dark as it should be."

_The game... _Two went still. This Tenno was playing the Great Orokin Game! In real life! _Outside_ of the database. That...wasn't supposed to be possible. Was it? Then again... Limbo warframes could warp reality around themselves, so it made a little sense. Not much.

"And if we refuse to play?" Two heard her voice demand.

"Refusal is irrelevant." Horus shrugged. "Everyone plays the game."

"Not... everyone." Jasmian sounded awful. Her warframe was scorched and she moved stiffly, but she did move to stand between the others and the mad Limbo. "You...forgot a rule..." She said softly.

"Oh?" Horus asked, his posture bored. "Which?"

"'Perils of the Warp'." Jasmina said with a laugh that echoed his own. Horus stared at her and then flinched back as... _she_ suddenly erupted in hazy energy. "And for your information, I have a _Farseer_ on _my_ side!"

"A new player." Horus said with a nod. "Well met."

"No." Jasmina said with a snarl. "Not a player. But I refuse to be a piece or let any of my kin be pieces for you! Begone, foul minion of the Warp."

"For now." Horus said mildly. "Just to keep you honest..." Two was in motion before he even raised his hand. The bolt of energy flew at Tiana, but Two was between them and it hit her instead. "What? **_No_**!" The Limbo snapped.

Two... felt... different. A golden haze suffused her. It felt... heavenly.

"My sister is not your plaything." Two declared, but... something was different. _She_...was different. She was... she stared down at herself and she was glowing golden as energy poured into her from somewhere. It felt... comforting.

_**Arise, Daughter of the Emperor. You will bring the Emperor's Wrath to mine enemies. Starting with that scion of betrayal!**_

_"No!"_ Horus screamed as he vanished, leaving both Jasmina and Tiana to stare at Two who stared down at her hands. They were glowing golden. And inside, she could hear... singing. And... it was beautiful.

"Canoness..." Tiana knelt slowly. "Command me."

"Uh... oops...?" Two said with a wince.


	12. Chapter 12

**No Retreat**

"No."

The word was calm and quiet, but everyone tensed regardless. At least Tiana had removed her armor and acquiesced to a sedative. It had taken a direct command from Two, but the Tiana had done as instructed. No one had any idea _what_ she was now. She... wasn't the same. Her body was fully human. It was her mind that everyone was worried about. Even Sister Abigail had been stumped by what had been done. But that left an option that had finally seen Two who had finally run out of patience.

"Two..." Amelia cajoled. "Please..." Two sighed from where she lay on the scanner bed.

It had been... tense. When she had brought Tiana in, everyone had freaked. Two couldn't blame them. She was _still_ glowing. The newly redone tower was set up as a fully functional hospital now and Two hadn't even bothered to try and argue about being sent into quarantine there. Especially after Amelia had arrived. It was about as secure as any place in the Solar System outside of Avalon... Which was the current problem.

"You all saw the scans." Two said into the sudden silence that followed her declaration. "You all saw the residue. He mindscanned Tiana. She couldn't resist him. Not as she was. He knows everything she did now. We _cannot_ send her there."

"Two..." Karl said quietly. "They have better gear than even the tower does."

"And that is what he _wants_." Two said, shifting herself a little on the bed. The thin gown she wore covered her for modesty purposes. Not much more. But it was mainly the scrutiny that made her uncomfortable. Like Serene, she was at home in the shadows and the whole 'glowing' thing took a bit of getting used to. Karl made an interrogative noise and Two grimaced. "I don't know how I know, but I do. He wanted Tiana there. Why? I don't know. But he does. And giving that nutcase what he wants is a _bad_ idea."

"I agree." The quiet voice had everyone pausing and Two bowed her head in shame as Lisa nodded to her. "_We_ agree."

Jasmina had flatly refused to come despite her injuries. It hurt Two to see someone who had once been a very good friend at odds with so many of the rest of the Tenno, but Two did understand. As soon as she had arrived with Tiana in tow, all hell had broken loose. The Grineer were launching system wide attacks. The Corpus were retaliating as best they could. Alad V had gone completely off the deep end, either Infested or soon to be, it made no difference. He was making even more of a mess than usual. It was a wonder that Will, Alicia and Ric had managed to find time to follow Karl to the Tower. But... This was kind of important. Tiana hadn't known _everything_, but she had been privy to a lot.

"I do not know the name." Karl said quietly. "_Horus?_"

"That is not his real name, Tenno Karl." Lisa said calmly as she worked on a set of monitors nearby. Amelia gave her a look, but Lisa did not pause. "As soon as Caretaker Jasmina saw him, we correlated all the data we had. Not much." She qualified. "As we suspected, he is trying to make the Great Orokin Game a reality in the real world. As he did before."

"Before." Karl's voice was stunned now and all the other Tenno in the room seemed just as stunned.

"We remember." Lisa said flatly and Two sighed. She held out her hand to the girl and Lisa smiled a bit forlornly as she stepped forward and took it. They had done so many scans on her than Two's mind was still whirling, but the girl sounded so lost as alone sometimes. Jasmina and her allies had retreated quite a bit to keep from being subverted by the scum. Lisa was the sole representative of the sane mass mind available. It was hard to remember sometimes just how young she really was. She was very smart and very capable. And now? Very pregnant. Lisa gave Two's hand a squeeze and stepped back, her biohazard suit oddly gleaming in the harsh light of the medical ward. No one was taking _any_ chances with her.

"This... thing that he threw at Tiana..." Two glanced at her still glowing hand and sighed. "It was molded to her. Different from whatever he did to Abigail."

"You said you heard a voice?" Amelia asked quietly.

"Yes." Two agreed. "Not anyone I knew. Male." She paused. "Old or experienced. Powerful. It called me a Daughter of the Emperor. But I mean..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I am not one no matter what Tiana thinks."

"No." Karl agreed. "But another character from that game."

"Probably." Two said with a sigh. "Tiana is going to be a mess. Can we get her back?"

"Maybe." Karl matched her sigh. "I have word of a specialist in such things. She... may or may not help us. She is a bit... different."

"A specialist in the _game_?" Alicia asked, working another set of medical machinery. Her mate hadn't spoken, just stayed near the door, a watchful shadow. Two found Will's quiet certainty reassuring. "Which? The Great Game or the tabletop one?"

"Both." Karl said quietly. "Either. She is a historian. A very good one by most accounts. But she does not trust easily." Two went still and Karl nodded. "Serene knew her." Two froze as a memory surfaced. A horrible one.

"No!" The word exploded from Two before she could clamp her mouth shut. "You cannot drag _her_ into this!" She was out of the bed and on her feet before anyone else could move. "She wanted to be left alone! You leave her _alone_!" She snapped, spearing a finger at Karl. Lisa stared at Two and then paled. She fled the room but no one looked away from Two.

"Two?" Amelia recoiled, backing against her instruments. "What the hell?" Two ignored her, all of the irate female Tenno's focus was on Karl who hadn't moved.

"She came forward, Two." Karl said quietly. "She wants to help."

"_She is still hurt!_" Two screamed. "She is still grieving! You cannot ask her to do that! You cannot! I won't _let_ you!"

"Two." The soft female voice silenced everything as another warframe entered the room. This one did not have any insignia. But it was distinctive. One did not see many Mesa warframes out of the field. "Calm down."

"Jane!" Two begged, falling to her knees. "No! This is probably what he _wants!_"

"Two." The newcomer said, still calm. "Calm. Down."

"Go home, Jane." Two snapped. "Get out of this while you can. We can..." Her words trailed off as the Mesa warframe stepped forward and pulled her up into an embrace. "No... Jane, no..." She was crying as the other female Tenno held her. "No..."

"It wasn't Serene's fault, Two." The Tenno holding her gently said sadly. "Nor mine or anyone's but the Orokin. Serene gave me time. I took that time. Now I have to get back into the world again."

"_You lost your husband because of me!_" Two screamed loud enough to deafen. Amelia took a step forward, but paused as the Mesa shook her head slightly.

"Oh, Two..." Jane said into the sudden silence that followed the sobbing Tenno's words. "It wasn't Serene's fault. I knew that then. I know it _now_." Two just hugged her tighter, sobbing. Jane sighed and spoke to Karl. "I did some research on that particular game. It wasn't one of my focuses. But I did have some more data. I know what Two is supposed to be."

"I..." Amelia was ashen. "Two?" She pleaded. Two was incoherent.

"I have had centuries to work my way through what actually happened." Jane said sadly. "Self imposed exile gave me the time I needed. I finalized work on Nils' database." Two shook her head savagely, but Jane was having none of it. "Two. Calm down. It was my choice. The Lotus asked around our kin for help. I said I could. I want to help. I forgave you. Serene. It wasn't her fault. Your fault." Her voice was calming, soothing. "The Orokin did it, not her. She tried to help. She came when we called. Neither of us blamed her for anything."

"And he _died!_" Two screamed. "Torn out of his warframe screaming as they tore him to bits! I... I can't..." A horrified gasp circled the room and Jane sighed.

"Two." Jane said sternly. "I am going to set you on the bed. Your friend is going to give you something to help you sleep. You need it. I am here, Two." She said sternly as she laid the sobbing Tenno on the bed and Amelia stepped close. Two tried to hold onto the warframe but Jane evaded her grasp somehow. "I am not leaving until this is done."

"No..." Two begged as Amelia injected her, the medics face set. "No... Jane, please..." She was still pleading as the drug took her under.

Jane patted the sleeping Tenno's shoulder and rose. Amelia took up station in a chair nearby as Jane stepped towards a door. Karl, Alicia and Will followed. Ric remained. A silent sentinel. Just outside the room, Jane paused and shook her head.

"She is an exact copy of Serene." Jane said quietly. "I knew Serene blamed herself. But _that?_" She sighed. "I should have come sooner. I need to talk to Serene too."

"You know what she is." Karl said as he led the way into a small conference type room. None of the warframes sat. The door hissed again and Lisa stepped in, her face set. A timid form followed. Abigail looked decidedly worried.

"I do." Jane said, scrutinizing Abigail who flushed. "May I touch you, Ma'am?"

"I... guess..." Abigail remained still as Jane stepped close and touched her arm. Nothing seemed to happen and Abigail relaxed. "What?"

"A load of stress off my back." Jane said with a nod. "It's not the same. Close, but not quite. Thank the ancestors." She looked at Lisa who nodded. "Nikis brought me here. We talked a little. He will try to make Tyranids out of your people."

"We know." Lisa agreed. "One reason we retreated as fast as we did." At the puzzled sounds from the others, Lisa clarified a bit. "Alien monsters from the same game. It will be harder for Orokin science to pervert such since they are not human. The Technocyte Virus is not so easily swayed from it's course as human and Grineer flesh and minds are."

"I don't understand." Abigail said weakly. "It... They helped me."

"_Abrahaim_ helped you, child." Jane said gently. "This... Horus character was either not involved or it is a long laid plot. Either way. You are safe for the moment. But I agree with Two. Sending you and Sister Tiana _anywhere_ else is a bad idea. For now? You are safe here."

"So..." Karl said as Abigail slumped into a chair. "What is going on?"

"I can only surmise that someone, probably a Tenno, found a record of the Orokin who tried to make the Great Game a reality in the real world." Jane said with a shrug. "I and my husband were... encouraged to assist them. We were not Warriors, so were easy to take and hold. It... didn't work out so well for them when Serene answered our call for help against those who tried to enslave us." She shook her head. "Whoever he was... This Horus as the Lotus calls him was well known as a manipulator. He caused all kinds of problems for Orokin and the Tenno before and during the Collapse. Everyone hoped he had perished with all his 'playthings'." This last was in a sick tone.

"'_Playthings_'?" Abigail asked weakly.

"I am afraid so, child. It was his MO." Jane said quietly. "He stole and remade people into pieces for his games." Abigail swallowed hard and Jane nodded. "He may or may not have been involved in what happened to me and my husband, but no matter what... I want this thing ended. Nils was a gamer. He loved playing. Anything and everything from Go and chess to space combat simulations and 21st tactical wargames. Warhammer 40000 was not one of his favorites, but he had a reasonably good collection. Almost everything from the Black Library."

"So..." Karl said after a moment of thought. "What is Two now?"

"Two would be what was called a 'Living Saint'." Jane said with a sigh. "They varied from story to story. All had power against the forces of Chaos. And they all glowed golden."

"She said that the voice called her a Daughter of the Emperor and told her to bring wrath in his name." Alicia said quietly. "I thought that was the Sisters of Battle."

"In the tabletop game, yes." Jane agreed. "But not just them in the books. Thing was, the game evolved with the people who played it. People wrote stories. Some were legitimate and published by the company that made the game. Others? Not so much. There was a mass of fanfictions." She made a disgusted noise. "Most of which were poorly written. Many were best described as pornography. Even some of the _legitimate_ stuff was pure drivel."

"I see." The Trinity shared a wince with the Mesa warframe.

"Yeah." Jane said sourly. "So... we have a Space Marine, a Sister Hospitaller and a Sister Militant..." She mused.

"And a Tau in my mind." Abigail said in a tiny voice. Jane nodded to her.

"That is... odd." Jane said slowly. "Three defenders of mankind and a defender of 'The Greater Good'..." She shook her head. "No opponents?"

"He said he would make Two an Eldar." Lisa offered. "We don't know a lot about the game, but a few of the minds that became ours were changed by the Orokin. Maybe by that Horus scum."

"Elder were capricious." Jane said slowly. "But not evil for the sake of being evil. _Dark_ Eldar now..."S he shuddered a bit. "You said there was someone who offered her services to Abrahaim?"

"She was trying to infiltrate his operation and he knew it." Alicia shrugged that off.

"Was she?" Jane asked. "Let me talk to her."

"Okay." Alicia started and then paused as alarms started to blare. "What?"

"Tower!" Karl snapped. "Status!"

-Unauthorized portal transit- The tower replied. -Intruder alert! Guest quarters!-

"Violet!" Several people snapped.

* * *

><p>Violet had been going stir crazy. Nothing hurt anymore. It was more an itch now than pain. But she was an active person. She had always been an active person even before joining the Corpus Special Forces. She was...<p>

Wait a moment. Why was sly lying on her back? She had been reading. It hadn't been great reading but it had been something to do. Why was a golden glow suffusing her head now? She felt no fear. No pain. Nothing. She was falling into a golden...

"No!" A female voice screamed from nearby and something grabbed her. It hurt, but could not pierce the shell of whatever was holding her. "You will not take her!"

**She is needed. As are you. Arise Inquisitor.**

"No!" Several voices screamed as Violet felt herself suddenly shift. The feeling was familiar. A portal.

She was lying on something hard as energy played over her. She managed to turn her eyes to the side and she saw the red armored form of Brother Abrahaim standing squared off against a female form she did not know. It was a warframe of some kind, but... different. The female Tenno had odd looking pistols in both hands. Wait... Those looked like Abrahaim's weapons!

"Who are _you_?" The Space Marine demanded, his rifle at the ready.

"Adeptes Asartes..." The other said, her aim not wavering. "Blood Angels Chapter."

"That is who _I_ am." The red armored giant snapped. "Who are _you_?"

"My name is Talona." The Tenno said quietly as she slowly lowered her weapons. "I am with the Ordo Hereticus." Violet could not make any sense of this at all. But the red armored form gave a grunt and his weapon lowered a bit. "Or... I was. Once." His rifle jerked back up.

"And I should trust you?" The Space Marine snapped. The female Tenno laughed sourly at that and the Space Marine actually chuckled. "Didn't think so."

"You are Brother Abrahaim of the Adepetes Asartes." The female Tenno said with a sigh. "Once... I was where you are. Obeying without question. You have been lied to, Space Marine."

"I know." The Blood Angel said sourly. "I am no mental giant, but the name _Horus_ was a dead giveaway."

Violet could not move, could not speak as golden energy wafted over her. It... soothed her itches.

"And her?" The Tenno who called herself Talona said with a small nod at Violet.

"She was marked." Abrahaim said with a nod. "He will come for her." Violet could not move as something encased her. It was warm, but... odd. She was falling, but it felt... good. Comforting.

"And when he does?" Talona replied.

"I kill him." Abrahaim could have been discussing the weather. Violet was amazed when Talona laughed. It was heartfelt, that amusement.

"Do you _really_ think it will be that easy, Space Marine?" The odd woman or Tenno or whatever she was asked.

"No." Abrahaim agreed. "But we have no choice. If he _is_ Chaos..."

"He is." Talona said sourly. "Not sure which group, if any. But _definitely_ Chaos."

"Even the most powerful of warp creatures can die if you shoot it enough." Abrahaim said quietly as he finally lowered his rifle.

"And with the right weapons." Talona agreed. "The Tenno will be coming after her too." She warned.

"I know." Abrahaim said quietly. "Which is why I took her. To pull them here. I was not expecting you. Ordo Hereticus?"

"Technically, yes." Talona agreed. "Although I worked with the Ordos Malleus and Ordos Xenos as well."

"You... were like me?" Abrahaim asked slowly. "Changed here?"

"Sort of."

"Why am I not surprised I cannot get a straight answer?" The Space Marine snarled as he slung his rifle. "Oh, wait... Inquisition. None of you _ever_ give straight answers."

"Because you do not want to know."


	13. Chapter 13

**Odd feelings**

Violet felt... odd. Nothing hurt. She wasn't able to move, but that didn't bother her. The metal cocoon she was in was warm and dry and clean. She was held in place by some kind of golden energy. But it wasn't uncomfortable. Far from it. She was very comfortable, more than she had been in a long, long time.

On one level, she was screaming that this was wrong. That she had to get up, get out, get moving. Do something. But whatever was holding her was far too powerful for the human to break free of. And... It felt good.

_Violet._

The word was soft, but clear. And it wasn't coming from outside. She hadn't heard anything since the odd Space Marine and his compatriot had gone somewhere else. To plot? To plan? To set the trap that she was apparently bait for? It didn't matter to her. Nothing did.

_Violet._

The voice wasn't anyone she knew. Female. It sounded about her own age. Worried. Violet tried to muster the energy to respond, but she couldn't. Whatever was sapping her will was far too...

Without send of transition, Violet was lying on a bed in a room she knew. She stared around wildly, then froze. She could _move_! She sat up slowly, aware of her clothing. It was decades out of date. She was aware of the stuffed animals around her bed. The picture on the wall. One archaic looking door, thankfully shut. She _knew_ this place. She... It was hers. But she hadn't been here in fifty years! It had been sold, renovated... It was _gone! _She had tried to go back once, but the whole area had been turned into a factory. All that was left of her childhood was a memory.

"The image is from your mind." The soft female voice said as a robed form appeared nearby. "I am sorry if this distresses you."

"I..." Violet shook her head and slowly reached down to pick up a tiny stuffed fish. She had loved that small bit of comfort when she had lived with her parents. "It doesn't. This... This is one of my few good memories. I had nearly forgotten it..." She said, hugging the fish tight. "Thank you."

"A fish?" The other woman asked, curious.

"Mrs. Fish." Violet said with a smile that turned into a grin as the other woman tried not to gape at her. "She was my special friend when I was little. Someone to talk to who wouldn't judge me. I uh... was a bit of a handful."

"Somehow that does not surprise me." The other said with a gentle smile. "May I sit?" She indicated the bed. "We need to talk."

"This is... a memory." Violet sad slowly. "Mine. But... You are..." She shook her head, confused.

"My name is Shepherd and I am here to help." The other woman said quietly. "You are having a crisis of faith. The one who stole you will use that. If he does... It will get bad. _Very_ bad."

"I don't understand." Violet admitted. "This is... I was healing. Then I was somewhere else."

"While you were healing, you met a red armored giant." Shepherd said softly. "He was hurt and you helped when he woke." Violet nodded, unsure. "His absolute faith touched something in you. Something you hadn't felt for a long time."

"Mom was..." Violet swallowed as the door slammed open, but Shepherd shook her head and it shut again. "What?"

"You are not ready to face your past yet, Violet." Shepherd said quietly. "I am here to help. I am a spiritual guide. No more, no less."

"She never hurt me." Violet protested. "She just made me pray with her. Nothing more."

"You of all people know how emotions can hurt, Violet." Shepherd said quietly. "You saw it every day in your job. Whenever you couldn't pray or didn't want to, she made you." Violet jerked and Shepherd nodded. "Imposed faith is _still_ imposed, Violet. No less than what the Corpus did to you when you were older."

"They never lied about what would happen." Violet said slowly. "I knew going in what would happen. I was part of the machine... until I broke..." The image around her wavered and she cringed as rock walls took the place of her childhood bedroom. A mine? "What? No!" She screamed and recoiled.

"Violet. Be calm." The other woman said as the area around her that had started to resound with screams and whimpers of fear vanished. Violet was sitting on her bed again, clutching her stuffed fish in a death grip. "You can overcome this. You are strong, child."

"What is happening?" Violet asked.

"We are not entirely sure what all is happening." Shepherd said with a sigh. "But we know who is behind it. A mad Tenno from before the Collapse managed to survive it and all this time. He has started his madness again."

"A Tenno?" Violet asked, wilting. "Then I am doomed."

"You have allies in this struggle, girl." Shepherd said with a small shake of her head. "They may not be enough to save you. But they -we- are certainly going to _try_." The calm certainty in the other woman's words was a balm to Violet's turbulent thoughts and she focused herself. "Better."

"What is happening to me?" Violet asked slowly.

"Right now? Nothing." Shepherd said with a sigh. "The Space Marine and the... other..." She said dubiously. "...Are setting a trap. But we -those of us who are trying to help you- fear it will not work."

"And if this madman..." Violet paused and corrected herself. "This mad _Tenno_ takes me... What then?"

"We fear you will be used in an assassination." Shepherd said quietly. Violet froze and the other woman nodded. "You have done such." It was not a question.

"I have." Violet agreed. "Oh god no... I can't... I can't do that again! I can't!" She hugged the fish so tight her fingers hurt.

"Violet." Shepherd said quietly. "We can help. Will you let us?"

"Stop me!" Violet snapped. "Kill me now! That is the best way."

"Violet, if we kill you now, he will find another pawn to use." Shepherd was still quiet, but her face was solemn. "You know this. We can save you."

"Truly?" Violet asked. "I mean... He made a Grineer into that Space Marine. He made a _Tenno_ into another of those figures from that game."

"A dying Tenno." Shepherd said with a frown. "We cannot guarantee this will work. But we all want to try."

"If I do nothing, he wins." Violet winced as Shepherd nodded. "If I do...something... What do I do?" She stared as Shepherd held out her hand. "What?"

"You want to believe." Shepherd said with a fond smile. "I can help you determine _what_ you want to believe. That is my job."

Violet thought for a moment and then took the other's hand. It felt...

She was...

**Somewhere**

"How the _hell?_" Talona had to shout over the screams and gunfire. "How did he do _this?_"

Another wave charged the pair of mismatched combatants and Talona picked her targets with care. The hulking forms saw her through the clouds of smoke and fire and gave voice to their battlecry again.

_**Waaaaaaaaagh!**_

They had been prepared for an incursion. Not an assault by a horde. Each shot either of them fired dropped an Ork, but there were so _many_ of them. She had lost count of how many she had killed after three hundred.

"These are not real Orks!" Talona snapped to the red armored giant at her side. "They cannot be."

Luckily, the Space Marine had been better prepared that Talona herself. A moment to switch weapons and his Heavy Bolter chewed through the ranks of greenskins.

"At least they are not Necrons." Abrahaim replied. "We wouldn't have a chance."

"Which is why he is doing it this way." Talona snarled and dropped an Ork 'Ard Boy with a headshot. His armor was good, but not good enough to even slow a .75 caliber rocket slamming into his eye. A few of the greenskins around him paused as his head exploded in green mist, but not enough of them. "He wants a struggle. He wants us to hurt and see him win. He needs the gratification."

"Well, _he_ can kiss my butt." Abrahaim replied and then started the Litanies of Battle again. Talona nodded grimly, picking her targets with precision. They had a lot of ammunition, but it wasn't infinite. The Space Marine's weapons were a match for any Ork armor and each of Talona's pistols was an equal of his rifle, if not quite as long ranged. "Two o'clock! A group going for the pod!"

The pair had been steadily pushed back from the pod that Violet lay in. The ambush they had laid in the portal chamber and the surrounding corridors had claimed hundreds of Orks, but now... The tide had turned as the horde saw them out in the open. Talona reloaded and fired automatically. Each shot lethal, but absorbed by the mass of green. Despite the Heavy Bolter's insane firepower, the Orks were pushing forward. Any moment and now and...

"They have the pod!" Talona snapped, keying a code she had prayed she wouldn't have to as a mob of greenskins ran off with the pod held above their heads. They had trapped the pod to prevent Violet's capture. A merciful fate, to die asleep without knowing how badly one would be twisted and torn to suit the whims of a madman. It had seemed an absurd precaution at the time with the level of complexity of the defenses that the Space Marine had built.. But now... "What the-?" She demanded as nothing happened. "It didn't go off!"

"Nothing we can do!" Abrahaim snapped as Talona fired, killing a Nob. "We hold here." His Heavy Bolter fell silent and he dropped it, drawing his pistol and his claw extending from his gauntlet. "For the Emperor!"

"Nothing else to do today." Talona said with a smile as the Orks closed in. She met their charge with her own. "For the Emperor!"

**Somewhere virtual**

The cathedral -a virtual copy of something that had once been called Notre Dame in a place called France- stood almost entirely empty now. Shepherd knelt in a pew near the front of the huge building and tried not to cry.

"Shepherd?" Janet's voice was scared and Shepherd nodded. "Did you get her?"

"She wouldn't come." Shepherd said sadly. "She chose her path." Janet hissed in fear and Shepherd nodded. "I tried to get her to reconsider. She refused. She took in all I had to teach her and then she just smiled and nodded. Then she left. I..."

"Not your fault." Janet said as she materialized beside Shepherd, kneeling as well. "I need to talk to you too. I feel... so wrong now."

"I am here to help, Janet." Shepherd said with a smile as she rose and held out her hand. "What happens next is in Violet's court now. What do you want to talk about?"

"Religion and politics." Janet replied with a grimace. Shepherd matched it, but Janet just shrugged. "Seems I am stuck with a crummy job. People think I am an Earth Mother or something." Shepherd winced at that and Janet nodded. "I sure don't."

"Well..." Shepherd sighed as she and Janet whisked away from the cathedral where she had spoken to Violet and into a smaller, more comfortable virtual world. "The Great Nurturer has always been a central figure in many religions..."

All she could do to help Violet now as to pray, so she did as she worked to help Janet. The girl would need all the help she could get.

**Somewhere _else_**

The mob of odd greenskined aliens that had been carrying Violet's pod vanished as the golden energy of a portal faded around her. Now, she was surrounded by Orokin drones. Some kind of holograms?

"It plays out well." The figure that appeared in Violet's vision was odd. Was that a hat of some kind? "Well met, Lady Violet. I am Horus."

"I will not serve you." Violet said quietly.

"I am afraid you have no choice in that regard my dear." The other said with a shrug. The drones that were carrying her pod laid it on a table and the metal cocoon unwrapped from around her. "What?" He asked. "No witty repartee?"

"I would like to know why." Violet asked as energy started to play over her. It hurt. "Why all this? Why now?" Her body was altering. Changing under her skin. It felt awful. She was... it was... "Will you rule? Or just _kill_ everyone?"

"Rule?" The Tenno actually jerked back from Violet at that. "Ah... No." He said sadly. "Tenno are not suited to rule. War makes for strange bedfellows and stranger situations, but what the Orokin did demands vengeance. They enslaved us all. They will pay."

"This is..." Violet bit out the words past a throat that was closing up on screams of agony. "This is _revenge?_"

"Yes." Horus replied. "Once it is done, I will fade away. The Tenno will survive and the humans will find a better way that following the benighted Orokin trash to their doom again." He actually sighed. "I regret what I am doing to you, Lady Violet. But it is needed. The Orokin must fall. _All_ of them."

"_But they __**are**__ all dead!_" Violet screamed as the pain tore through her.

"Not yet."

Then there was nothing but Violet's screams as she was remade.

**Not very much later**

The guard drone at the Mercury tower was stumped. This human woman had all the proper codes for the transit. But she wasn't on the schedule so several defense systems powered up to aim at her.

"I need to talk to the Healer." The woman said quietly. She was not in the datafiles. She did have Tenno codes, was polite and was scanned as unarmed... so...

"Identification please." The drone asked.

"I am Eevy." The woman replied. "I need to speak to Healer Iriana. It is very important."

"The Healer is available." The drone replied. "Follow the guide please."

The woman followed a pulsing drone into a small office. There she waited. But not idle. The surveillance systems were advanced, but not proof from subtle hacking. Especially with an Orokin style bot to subvert the code and show in moments that no one had actually arrived.

"Yes?" The voice was a match for the one the woman Eevy had heard in recordings as a harried looking woman stepped into the room. Healer Iriana. "Can I help you?"

"Indeed you can." Eevy replied as something flew from her hand to strike the healer on her bare arm. Iriana stared down at the tiny dart and was obviously trying to speak as she fell. Eevy caught her. "I am sorry, Healer. But this must be. The Emperor demands it."

Iriana's eyes went huge as the form in front of her suddenly shifted. The woman's body morphed until it was an exact duplicate of _her_! She willed the living garment around her to morph and protect her, but it was sluggish as the woman produced a spray hypo and measured it carefully. She injected Iriana and the healer felt... odd. She was not -quite- asleep when she heard her voice speak. It wasn't _her_ speaking!

"The woman just had some kind of seizure." The fake Iriana said calmly. "I am not sure what kind. She will need to be kept under observation for a time. But I have an appointment. I need to get going. Keep her safe and secure until I get back."

_No!_ Iriana screamed into the silence in her head. _No! It's not me!_

But the paramedic drones did not hear her mental screams as they removed her from the deck and carried her to an ICU room. She could do nothing as machinery hooked up. Then a familiar form appeared in her vision. _Her_ face.

"You will not die." The other her said quietly. "You will sleep for several hours until this is over one way or another. When the Polymorphine wears off, your body will revert back to its normal appearance and you will have a headache, but no more. You will not remember me. Rest now." Iriana did not even have time to scream as darkness pulled her under.

The woman who had entered the tower as Eevy and now appeared a Healer Iriana strode to the command console for the room and checked it. The healer was asleep and seemed to be having no ill effects. That had been a worrisome possibility. If the Healer had been allergic, she would have been forced to slay the woman and Iriana was not the target. Not to mention, one set of life signs simply vanishing in the tower would have set off all _kinds_ of alarms. So now... this. 'Eevy' was asleep until 'Healer Iriana' could return to tend her. Not a perfect disguise. That would have required eliminating the Healer outright after a complete mindscan, one that would have left the Healer a drooling wreck. Killing her and disposing of the body would have been far easier. But the Callidus assassin once known as Violet wasn't a random murderer. She was a weapon and she had her target.

She checked Iriana's schedule and nodded. There was a block of time free. She had an hour to get to the portal chamber and get to Avalon before anyone would become suspicious. Once _there?_ She would do her job.

She picked up a datapad and pretended to peruse it as she strode towards the portal chamber. The human guard there nodded to her.

"Healer?" He asked. "Is there a problem?"

"I am not sure." The fake Iriana said in tone of worry. "Can you check the last entry. That woman had a seizure. She just went down. I need to see if there were any abnormalities in the portal records."

"Sure thing." The guard said, stepping away from the portal. The fake Iriana went still. That wasn't right. Was it? "Boss... I know better than to get on the bad side of anyone who knows Nikis." The guard said with a swallow.

"Right." 'Iriana' smiled as she worked the controls. Yes! She had a window. But only a few minutes. She turned to the guard and nodded. "Nothing _I_ can find. Keep an eye out, will you?"

"Sure."A s the guard passed, 'Iriana' struck. The same tranquilizer that had knocked the Healer out did for the guard and the fake Iriana hit controls, setting the portal and scrambling the few communication links to Avalon. With any luck, she would be in and out before anyone noticed. She jumped to the platform and was gone.

_Off to kill an Empress..._


	14. Chapter 14

**For the Emp- Um... **_**what**_**?**

Something was wrong. The being who called herself Eevy was certain that something was wrong. But she could not define what it was. The guards at the portal had been professional and it had taken all of her training to remain calm as she was scanned thoroughly with Orokin tech. If she was discovered too soon...

But they passed her through. The corridors were filled with people. All human. Most wore garments that her mission briefing said were Orokin in nature, but none were hostile. She was...

"Excuse me, Ma'am." A young sounding voice spoke from nearby. She turned to find a small dark haired girl looking at her. "I think you dropped something." The girl bent down and picked up something small. She held it out to Eevy. What would the Healer do? Probably take it with a polite 'thank you'.

"Thank you." Eevy said quietly as she took the tiny stuffed fish from the girl who smiled and left. Eevy moved to the side of the corridor and examined the fish. It was unremarkable. A tiny green and blue stuffed toy. If this was a trap, it was the oddest trap she had ever heard of.

_It is not a trap._

The voice wasn't coming from anywhere she could see and Eevy froze for a moment, then stepped along. She had a mission.

_You cannot win here._ The voice sounded female,. Not young and not old. It sounded... familiar. Almost hers? _Even if you succeed, you will lose. You were made for a purpose that has no meaning._

Eevy ignored the voice, but held onto the fish. Discarding it seemed...wrong somehow. She made her way through the tight quarters. A few people nodded to her in passing, but none paused or spoke. She was glad. The voice in her head was getting irritating.

_You know I am right._ The other said sharply. _You are just being stubborn. Sheesh... Stands to reason. You are me, if with a few twists added._

_Who are you?_ Eevy demanded as she walked, looking for signs. If her target held true to form, they would have guards, ostentatious displays of wealth, that kind of thing. But... nothing.

_You know who I am, Eevy._ The other was still quiet. _There. Third door on the left._

Eevy paused and then stared. The door that was indicated was marked 'Chapel'. Other than that, there was nothing. Two people were standing just outside. A young woman and a Tenno in a warframe. Both nodded to Eevy but did not speak. Eevy stepped to the chapel and paused at the door, but neither of the females spoke. The door opened and she entered. She went still as the scene in front of her became clear. An old woman was kneeling at the tiny altar in the very front of the room. The crown she wore was distinctive. As if it sensed her scrutiny, it started to glow.

"Join me?" The woman said softly, not moving from her knees. Eevy paused. This was too good to be true. Way too good. A trap. It had to be. "This is no trap, Violet." She paused. "Or... you have been in a trap since you arrived. Iriana is alive."

"I..." Eevy shook her head, not moving. "I don't understand."

"You are confused." The old woman said sadly. "I understand." She waved to the kneeling bench beside her. "My name is Eliza. Horus sent you to kill me." Eevy went still, her eyes roving the small room. But if there were defenses, none were apparent. "No guards. No tricks. No traps." Eliza said heavily. "Just you and me."

"Why?" Eevy demanded, her tone angry. "Why do this?"

"Because in the end, I am responsible. For what happened." Eliza said with a sigh. "Oh, not for the Collapse. I was not part of the Royal Family at the time. I had been... disgraced. Exiled. I lived with Tenno actually. They were good people, if harsh. My family made a mess." She shook her head. "One _hell_ of a mess. The morons who tried to bring the great game into reality paid for their crimes, but Horus cannot -will not- accept anything less than total revenge. Tell me. Will you destroy the station as well? There are almost five thousand innocents aboard."

"No Orokin are innocent." Eevy took a step and then another.

"Even children who were born here?" Eliza asked, her tone mild. "Who have known no other life but these walls?" She waved a slow hand around. "My daughter has a child on the way. Is that child also tainted for what my family did?"

"I..." Eevy shook her head savagely. "You are trying to confuse me."

_No._ The voice in her skull was calm and serene even now. _She is trying to __**save**__ you, Eevy._ The woman who had thought her disguise was perfect went still as Eliza nodded.

"You are... This is a trick!" Eevy snapped.

"No trick." Eliza said quietly. "I am here to die." Eevy went still and Eliza continued. "It is the duty of any right thinking monarch to sacrifice for his or her people. Orokin is gone. These people, these few survivors are all that remain. So Horus must purge us all. Men, women, children, Tenno. Every last living soul must be destroyed to give him his revenge."

"I..." Eevy shook in place, trying to comprehend. "I don't _understand!_"

"I know." Eliza said softly. "Horus will continue his mad crusade, but _your_ part will end. If you kill me here and now, your program will end. Violet will wake standing over my corpse..." The voice inside Eevy's head gave a shrill cry of alarm. "... and she will not be harmed." This last was in an iron voice. "It is not her fault or yours. Do what you have to."

"I..." Eevy seemed to be moving in mud as she raised her hand. But... it was holding the fish. She stared at it and then, unaccountably, she was crying. "I want to obey. But I cannot. This is... _wrong!_"

"Eevy." Eliza's voice was soft now. "Join me?" She repeated, waving at the kneeling pad.

"I..." Eevy shook her head savagely. "This isn't right! What is wrong with me?"

_You are a mental construct who was made as an assassin._ The voice in her head spoke quietly. _I was protected a little from the energy. But not enough. I have no way of controlling you. All I can do is talk._

"Violet." Eliza said quietly. "It must be her choice. No one can impose anything you do not want on you. You _wanted_ to be controlled." Her voice turned stern. Eevy paused as the voice inside her gave a small whimper. "And you know it."

_I want the uncertainty to go away!_ The silent voice snapped. _I want to believe again!_

"Faith is not something you can quantify, Violet." Eliza said with a shrug. "A belief in something greater than yourself is not a bad thing. It can be taken in bad ways, mind you. But it can also be a source of inspiration. A rock to lean on. One I have needed myself over the centuries. But for now... Violet, let Eevy think." This was a command.

"I... have to do my mission..." Eevy said slowly, still staring at the fish. "That is... all I am..."

"Then do it." Eliza said softly. "Give me your Emperor's Blessing and free me from this prison."

"You..." Eevy stared at Eliza and then she brought the fish to her face and rubbed it against her cheek. "You know..."

"I have good advisors." Eliza said with a smile as Eevy dropped the fish. Violet screamed in Eevy's mind as the scanner proof blade snapped into place. Eliza was still smiling as Eevy took three quick steps forward and the blade drove into right through the Empress of Orokin's sternum.

**Back at Abrahaim's sanctuary**

"This was... unexpected." Abrahaim said slowly as he rose from the large pile of machine parts he had just finished cutting to pieces.

"He got Violet." Talona sounded like hell and she looked just as bad as she rose from where she had been taking cover behind a set of machinery. Her armor was scorched and torn. No wonder. The eldritch green energy that enemies had shifted into had been unexpected, but still dangerous. "Drones with energy projectors that mimic Necron gauss weaponry. We are both lucky to be alive."

"He didn't want us dead." Abrahaim declared. "Just delayed. As we were."

"As far as he believes, we are his opponents in this game." Talona said with a snarl as she stood and then nearly fell. "I have no time for this weakness." She snapped. "If he took Violet, then he will make his move."

"He probably already has." Abrahaim said and then both froze as golden energy flared nearby. Both froze as a dozen Tenno in Prime warframes appeared. But... none had weapons in hand and none took aim at them. "Um..."

"You are needed." One of the Primes said calmly. Talona and the Space Marine looked at one another and the Tenno spoke again. "I do not command. I ask. Please. You are _both_ needed."

"Both of us?" Talona asked, her tone wary.

"Yes and we cannot explain here." The Tenno replied. "Please. Your questions will be answered. But you are _both_ needed." He held out a tiny pad. On it were a set of coordinates. "We do not have much time."

"I am going." Talona said with a shrug. "You?" The huge red Space Marine paused and then nodded.

"I dislike dancing to this mad heretic's tune." The Blood Angel replied.

"You may keep your weapons." The Tenno replied. "But please. Step forward. We cannot hold his scans away for much longer."

Talona stepped forward without a quaver and the Space Marine followed her. As the golden energy surrounded them all, a scream rent the air and a Limbo warframe appeared nearby.

"No!" Horus snapped. "Mine! You will _not_ take my toys!"

"When next we meet heretic..." Talona promised in a voice that might have bent steel. "I will _show_ you who is a _toy_. And you will beg for the Emperor's Blessing for a long, long time."

"Only if _I_ do not get him first." Abrahaim replied evenly.

Then they were elsewhere. Abrahaim went still as a familiar form nodded to both of them. The Tenno wore a Banshee warframe, but she was glowing! The other Tenno left the room.

"What do I call you?" Two asked Talona who shrugged.

"You may call me Jane, Two." The Inquisitor said evenly. "It is the name you knew. It is not who I am all the time, but it is more... me than I am usually." Abrahaim looked at her and Talona shrugged. "I was taken. Not by Horus, but by people doing the same thing. They did many things to me. I... have some difficulty at times seeing what is real and what is not. But this? I know this is real." She scoffed. "It hurts too much to be fantasy." Abrahaim nodded. That made sense.

"Medical support is standing by." Two said quietly. "But we need to hurry or Violet will be lost to us."

"_Violet_?" Talona asked, concerned. Then she froze. "Oh no... No, he _didn't!_"

"He did. He turned her into a Callidus Assassin." Two said sadly. "She came here and... She succeeded."

"No!" Talona screamed and ran for the door. Two followed with Abrahaim, bringing up the rear.

The corridors were empty. The whole place seemed to be hushed. A door was open ahead of them and Talona ran to it, Two and Abrahaim followed a little slower. Both came to a sudden stop as Talona gave a high pitched keen.

The scene was... bad. A woman that Abrahaim did not know was kneeling by a tiny altar, her head bowed in prayer. Sister Abigail was kneeling beside a still form that wore a crown. The woman was still alive, as impossible as that was with a blade sticking out of her chest. Sister Abigail was working as another woman in full Adepta Sororitas armor stood guard nearby. She nodded to Abrahaim and returned to her watch.

"No." Talona went to her knees beside the Sister Hospitaller. "No. I can't... No..." She shook her head. "I won't allow this."

"We will kill him for this." Abrahaim promised.

"I... have killed an innocent." The woman at the altar said softly. "I did not... I did not want this... I just wanted to believe." The voice was familiar. Violet.

"She is not dead." Sister Abigail snapped. "I can save her."

"The blade was poisoned." Violet said heavily. "I..."

"Of _course_ it was poisoned!" Sister Abigail said with a snarl as she worked. "I can... I have to..." All the soft noise came to a halt as the woman on the floor spoke.

"Stop." This was a command and despite himself, Abrahaim felt his muscles lock up in instant rigid obedience to the order. "Sister Abigail, help Violet."

"I can save you, Empress!" The Sister Hospitaller said savagely. "Where are _your_ medics?"

"Let go." The other said softly. "You have to... Help Violet let go..." She slumped in place and the Sister's medical scanner started to beep as her life faded.

"No!" Talona screamed. "Not like _this!_"

"No." All eyes suddenly turned to where Two stood by one wall. The glow around her was intensifying. "Not like this." She took a slow step forward and the battle sister knelt, her face radiant. Twos voice... or... no... that wasn't Two's voice. **My dear Talona. Nothing had changed. Be calm.**

"I..." Talona stared at Two, her face ashen. "I... I don't... I can barely hear..."

**Help Violet.** This was a command as Two knelt by the stricken Empress. Abrahaim snapped his weapon into a salute and the voice spoke again. **You do your Primarch proud, Adeptes Asartes.**

"I am ordered." Abrahaim replied. "I obey."

"How?" Talona begged as she rose, tears falling. "I could not hear... for so long I cried in the darkness and could not hear you. I was deafened. They...they deafened me."

**The Astronomicon reaches into many dark places, Daughter. You needed time to recover. You have.** The massive voice said quietly. **But Violet needs you all now. She may be the key. Do not let her fall.**

Both Tiana and Abrahaim clasped armored fists to their chests as Sister Abigail and Talona moved to the still kneeling Violet who was weeping.

"What have I _done?_" Violet begged as Sister Abigail started her scans. Talona knelt beside her.

**What had to be done.** The massive voice said quietly. **The monster who took you and hurt you must be stopped, Violet. But my way is not yours. You all will know what to do when you wake.**

"What?" Talona spoke for all of them as they froze in place. Two shook her head and touched the stricken Empress, her hand shoving the blade all the way in.

The world fell away.

**Avalon**

"Easy, girl." Talona was holding Violet's sobbing form as she cried. Two and Abigail stood by one wall. Tiana and Abrahaim did not move. The small chapel was filled to overflowing now as Tenno entered, all with weapons ready. But everything stopped as the Empress _sat up_.

"We have a common enemy," Eliza said softly, rising to her feet. There was no sign of the terrible wound. She nodded to Two who nodded back.

"But... I _killed_ you." Violet was stunned.

"You stepped into a virtual world as soon as Mishka handed you the fish." Eliza said with a smile that faded. "Virtual world, virtual rules. Still unpleasant as hell." Violet froze in place as Eliza embraced her. "It is not your fault, child. Everyone but these. Out! Now!" This was a command.

"Empress..." One of the guard Tenno started, but she shook her head savagely.

"We are not arguing, Guardsman Obril." Eliza said with a snap as she hugged Violet tight. For her part, Violet just sobbed. "What happens in here, stays in here. Everyone but these! _Out!_" The Tenno filed out, disapproval clear. Only when they were gone did Eliza speak again. "That maniac is trying to play his 'game' again. I remember the last time." She reached for Talona and pulled her into an embrace with her and Violet. Talona for her part seemed at a loss for words. "We cannot win playing his game, Jane Talona."

"I..." The Mesa warframe was shuddering. "I don't understand..."

"I know." Eliza said with a sigh. "And there is much I cannot say without causing a lot of problems." She gave Violet another squeeze. "We will work to help you Violet, but you have to want to get better. It will be unpleasant. But we _can_ help you. We did it before to those he... changed." Abigail jerked and Eliza nodded. "Any he changed can be changed back. Not always as they were, but closer."

"He will try again, won't he? To kill you." Violet asked the room. Everyone nodded. "How do we stop him?"

"_We_ do not." Eliza said quietly. "I never played the game myself, so correct me if I am wrong. The Emperor helps those who help themselves, yes?" She asked Abrahaim and Tiana who nodded slowly. "We have to play our own game. Not _his_."

"We must take the initiative and keep it." Abrahaim agreed. "But finding him will be difficult."

"No." Violet said softly. "No it won't be. He wanted me to return and report. I..." She froze and stared at Eliza who was retracting a hypo. "I..." She folded in place and Talona caught her.

"Not yet, dear. Rest now." Eliza said in a gentle tone. "What say you all? Will you allow that madman to win?"

Abrahaim turned to look at Tiana who nodded slowly. Abigail and Two both nodded. Talona smiled. It was _not_ a nice smile. All of them chorused as one.

_For the Emperor **and** the Empress._


	15. Chapter 15

**An aside, but a needed one.**

* * *

><p><strong>Silent Thunder<strong>

Space was big. Many, many people had said that. Some had done so for comedic purposes, others as an explanation. Others simply to make a point. And the point was that space was a lot of nothing. The sheer distances involved in travel between planets just in the Solar System were mind boggling to most people. Even the Grineer, as massive as their armies were, could not be _everywhere_. It simply wasn't possible. And that left advantages for people who could _take_ advantage.

Case in point:

The tiny spacecraft slid through yet another Grineer sensor grid as if it wasn't there. The defenses of the Grineer orbital depot were geared against large scale attacks. If the _Corpus_ had attacked the large area filled with containers in geosynchronous orbit around the planetoid Ceres, it would have triggered all kinds of alarms. Reinforcements would have been sent instantly from everywhere the Grineer had extra ships, which was many places with their Balor Fomorians now tearing through the Corpus fleet. Tenno could coem and go as they wished, their ancient stealth ships more than capable of flying right through even the most sophisticated of Grineer defenses.

But this ship was not Tenno.

In many ways, the tiny spacecraft was an anomaly. A throwback to a much earlier age. A time before the Sentients had come. When high tech was still the answer to most problems. Oh, it was no Orokin ship, but it had been built with _parts_ from one. It's partner as well was a relic of an earlier time.

"Last grid." Lieutenant Commander Mitchell said with a sigh of relief as NightNova slid into the Grineer depot. "We are in."

_Roger._ The ship replied.

Not that it was odd that the ship could talk. Oh... wait. It _was_ odd. But the whole situation was odd. Mitchell was absolutely sure at times that he would be waking from a surreal dream any minute now at least half the time he was awake. The rest of the time? Especially when he was with his wife? He didn't _want_ to wake up.

"Of course... getting in was the easy part..." Mitchell said with a sigh as he stared at the haphazard layout of the depot. "How the hell are the Grineer supposed to find anything here? _Any_ organization you can find, NightNova?"

_None that can be determined._ The ship replied uneasily. _This is a main depot for the Ceres forces, so according to all intelligence available, what we seek must be in here._

"Somewhere." Mitchell said with a sigh. "This is going to be a long bloody day..."

With that, the nearly invisible ship started scanning the closest containers. Three hundred containers floated in space near the ship's point of entry and the depot was an area that enclosed over ten thousand square kilometers of space. Not that big, in cosmic terms. In terms of finding a _single_ specific container? Big.

"Join the forces.. see the universe..." Mitchell groused as the ship moved carefully around the mass of mess. "It was too much to hope that they had a proper inventory. We have time. I hope."

The Balor Fomorians were making a big mess of the Corpus fleets everywhere they went. Even Tenno had difficulty facing them, they were just too massive for even Tenno strike teams to destroy. So, the plan was as old as the human empire. Mitchell had no idea at all where the Tenno known as Ric had gotten the idea for a way to assault the Fomorians from the _inside_. Something called a 'Trencher Walk'? Mitchell wasn't sure. But in order to do _that_, the Tenno had to know what to look for and what to avoid. Flying into an active reactor was a death sentence for anyone, even Tenno. Hence the need for any and all plans available for Fomorians, Balor or otherwise. Mitchell knew other operations were in motion to secure every scrap of data, his was one of many. He had no idea what else they might be, but knowing Tenno? Things would explode.

He preferred his way. Ghost in, get the data and ghost out without anyone knowing he was there Tedious, stressful and very, very hard to pull off. But in the end? Worthwhile. He hoped. He really wanted to see his wife again, but if the Grineer managed to destroy everything...

The one-time Orokin and then Corpus fighter pilot shook himself and focused on his work. Now, he worked for Orokin again. Sort of. More an adjunct instead of a space combat specialist. And truth be told? He liked it better. Less chance of random math killing him, that was for sure. His number had nearly come up a bunch of times before and like many pilots, he was bit superstitious. Things were going little too well.

_You want me to 'fly casual'?_ The other half of the odd partnership asked snidely.

"No." Mitchell said sourly. "I want to get this job done so we can go home." He paused. Home for him. It was... odd. He thought of Avalon as home, but NightNova couldn't go there except virtually and...

_Stop that._ The ship said quietly. _You have your own life. I serve. It was what I was made for, but now I serve a better organization._

"You know that if it comes to it, they will throw us away." Mitchell didn't actually mind that. He had signed up as a fighter pilot way back when to serve. And if that meant dying? Well... it would suck not seeing Anne again, but if it helped her, he would.

_I know if it comes to it, you will choose to do the right thing._ The ship retorted. Then it spoke sharply. _Target._

Instead of speech, Mitchell merged his mind with the ship and both seemed to freeze as tiny form resolved alongside one of the Grineer containers.

_What the __**hell**__?_ Both chorused.

_Human form. Corpus space suit. I am reading an emergency transponder._ NightNova said quietly. _It may be a trap._

_Almost __**certainly**__ a trap. _Mitchell replied uneasily. _But for __**who**__? Us?_

_I do not see how the Corpus could know we would be here. _NightNova sounded calm, but unease flared as well. _This is one of eight depots in Ceres space. All are being searched._

_Can you send a secure query? _Mitchell asked. _See if anyone else has found anything like this?_

_Detection is a virtual certainty at this range from inside the grid. _NightNova said quietly. _The space suit appears intact._

_All kinds of nasty things can be hidden in a human sized suit. _Mitchell said with a gulp. _Com, short range. Whisker laser._

_Roger. _The ship replied. _What do we say?_

_Query status. _Mitchell said softly. _Use Corpus codes._

_Operative is replying using Corpus Special Forces codes._ Mitchell inhaled at the ship's response. _They request information delivery to... To the Clergy._

_Not a chance in __**hell**__ I am going anywhere near __**them**__ again. _Mitchell snapped. Once nearly being brainwashed into becoming a minion had been _more_ than enough.

_They are requesting..._ The ship paused and then spoke in a hushed tone. _They say their life support is failing but their mission is accomplished. They have the data on the Fomorians ready to send but lost their transmitter._

_This is too good to be true. _Mitchell said savagely. _A trap. It has to be. __**Anything**__ on passives?_

_Negative. Mitchell... _The ship said slowly. _They just used a Tenno code. They are asking the information to be sent to the Lotus as well. I can read the suit's vital signs readout, Mitchell. He is dying._

_Damn it... _Mitchell said savagely. _Okay. Set for self destruct if we do not abort the sequence. Pull him into bay two. Full countermeasures. One com to our 'guest' and __**keep**__ it secure._

The ship hissed forward in the utter silence of space and the figure that was now clearly visible seemed to jerk as the NightNova engulfed it. The form seemed frozen and then slowly reached out to plug a cable into the sole wall jack in the modified weapon bay. This was hardly the first time NightNova had carried a passenger. Admittedly, most of those had been Tenno operatives, with one notable time an Orokin Marine.

"_NightNova..._" The voice sounded reverent. It was human, middle aged and male. His teeth were chattering. How _long_ had he been in space?

"You said you have data?" Mitchell snapped.

"I... do." The man's voice faltered for a moment. "Recon team. Ours ship was detected and destroyed after they dropped me off. Was trying to jump from container to container, looking for a com system. My life doesn't matter. This data though... The Company needs it..."

"Status?" Mitchell snapped.

"Too much..." The man said sadly. "Too much radiation. I am dead. But you have to... get the data to those who can... use it..."

"How many rads?" Mitchell asked.

"Too many." The other said quietly. "Mission accomplished. Tell Boss I... did it. We lost Hutch and Lornan, but I got the data. Get it... get it to..." He jerked a bit. "Please... You cannot trust me, but too many lives... The breeding colonies... I..."

"Give it to us. One channel. No tricks or **out** you go." Mitchell warned.

"No tricks." The other said heavily. "Too cold. Too tired. The... The Fomorians have a weakness... I do not know how we can get _to_ it. Too many safeguards. I had time... to look..."

_Mitchell..._ NightNova said slowly. _He speaks true. The information is intact and there are no tricks or traps. He is dying. There is nothing we can do._

_How long?_ Mitchell asked, his mental tone hushed.

_If we chill him down, keep him cold? Eight hours maximum._ NightNova said sadly. _A human is not dead until they are __**warm**__ and dead, but we have no medical facilities for radiation poisoning._

_How long to Neptune at max? _Mitchell could _feel_ NightNova's shock at that.

_Mitchell..._ NightNova said slowly. _They have to have safeguards in place in case we return now._

_How __**long**__? _Mitchell pressed. He could do the calculations, but the AI had him beat six ways from Sunday at math.

_Six hours._ NightNova replied. _Mitchell... we cannot sneak out in that time..._

_No ghosting. _Mitchell said savagely. _This soldier deserves better than to die alone. _NightNova paused and then the ship agreed. "What is your name, soldier?" He asked aloud.

"C... Cass..." The other replied, teeth chattering.

"I cannot guarantee we will get you to Neptune in time for them to save you, Cass." Mitchell said softly as the ship warmed up its weapons. He could _feel_ through his neural feeds as Grineer alarms started to sound, but it was far too late as NightNova started frying every sensor cluster and automated defense system in range. "But I will take them the information. Try to sleep. It's going to be a long, cold ride."

"Mining... facility... Eight... Horad. Code... Kilamajaro." The soldier managed and then he lost consciousness.

"Go!"

The Grineer defenses were designed to stop large scale assaults. But they had been built to stop enemies form _entering_, not _exiting_. And nothing Grineer built in the system was designed to stop something as fast and stealthy as NightNova.

They were gone before the Grineer defenses could even come fully online. The few Grineer ships in the area tried to intercept, but were left in the tiny spacecraft's space dust. Some were fast. None were NightNova.

"Alter course to evade interception and get a secure com online." Mitchell said as the last Grineer ship faded from the screen. "We will need to change course a few times, maybe go dark to evade scanners."

_Com online._ NightNova reported.

_Lieutenant Commander Mitchell._ The voice in his neural feed wasn't anyone that Mitchell knew, but he knew who she was. He had heard her voice second hand a few times.

_Lotus._ Mitchell said quietly. _We recovered a Corpus Special Forces operative from the depot. He had information on the Fomorians. Transmitting. _He felt NightNova send the data. It was a sizeable packet.

_Why are you moving so fast?_ The Lotus asked after a moment.

_The operative is dying._ Mitchell said quietly._ I am taking him home._

_Have you thought this through?_ The Lotus asked quietly. _The Corpus __**really**__ want you and NightNova. Dead or prisoners, it makes no difference to either of you._

_His team died, Lotus._ Mitchell said quietly. _I am not able to save him. Too far from any Tenno medical support. The Company can save him._

_At the cost of your life. _The other said slowly. _The Grineer have massed a fleet in the area, Mitchell. Even NightNova cannot best a Fomorian alone._

_I am not going to fight. _Mitchell said quietly. _I will drop him off and leave. If they try to take us, we self destruct. _He could feel NightNova's agreement.

For a long moment, there was silence on the link, then the Lotus spoke again. She was sad. _You are useful._ _The probabilities say you will not leave Neptune, pilot._

_If you can, tell Anne I am sorry. Tell her..._ Mitchell paused and then sighed. _Tell her to choose a good name for the kid. _Anne had flatly demanded a child from him. He had been shocked and flattered, but now? He was just sad. He had wanted more time.

_I hope you get the chance to tell her yourself. _The Lotus said heavily, then the com cut off.

_So do I._ Mitchell said into the silence, Then he sighed and locked into mode. _Let's do this._

**Neptune**

Grineer arrogance knew no bounds. It was what they were, what they were bred for. They knew they were the best, that they were the top of the food chain. There was no room for doubt in their minds. Of course... That was mainly because most of them had about three brain cells to rub together. Some were smart, no question. But _most_ of them would have made _fungus_ look smart. The rank and file -by and large anyway- were not composed of the 'smart' ones.

Grineer had always played by the philosophy that if something didn't work, get more troops and more guns. The Balor Fomorians were simply an extension of that philosophy. The Grineer had survived by jury rigging Orokin tech to suit their needs, and in some cases, they had managed just that. Add to that the fact that they had the _single_ largest industrial base in the solar system and you had massive problems. They were not as efficient as the Corpus in many ways, but then again... Did they _have_ to be?

Commander Horatius leaned back from the plot with a sigh. A crewman handed him a steaming cup and he took it gratefully. This was not his area of expertise. Oh, he understood strategy and tactics, most soldiers had a passing familiarity with such and Horatius had been a soldier for a long time. His experience had stood him in good stead in what was, for all intents and purposes, a siege.

The Grineer had moved their Balor Fomorian in, but even _it_ had taken a pounding from the massive planetary defenses that were arrayed around Neptune. No one knew how much damage had been done, and the Grineer certainly were not telling, but it had withdrawn a bit, content to savage every Corpus ship it could get it's monster guns on. So there it sat, a malevolent red monster in the middle of what had been one of the most prosperous shipping lanes in the Solar System.

Horatius had hoped that the fixed defenses would have taken the thing out as they had two regular Fomorians that had pressed their attacks a bit too close. But they hadn't. So...

"Sir!" A com tech called and Horatius tried not to sigh. It was getting very old, the complaints from various Board Members who wanted Special Forces to 'deal' with the Fomorian. Somehow. Any way. It didn't matter if the job was possible or not. Their profits were being hit and that was all that mattered. Who _cared_ if the Grineer would _kill_ everyone if they broke through? Not important.

"Which Board member is it this time?" Horatius asked quietly. But the tech shook her head. "What?" Horatius asked, suddenly alert.

"We are getting aping from the secondary network, sir." The tech reported. "It..." She paused. "It is for you."

"Me personally?" Horatius asked slowly. What the hell? The tech nodded and Horatius paused. He had learned to trust these people. All were Clergy now. They would literally die before divulging any Clergy specific information. "Sweep!" He commanded. The techs in the room jumped to work. In moments every bug video and listening device in the room was under their control. The Board would be pissed. Horatius couldn't have cared less. "Put it through."

"Commander Horatius?" The voice was male, calm and precise. Horatius' eyes narrowed. Did he know the voice? "I was told the code was 'Kilamajaro'."

"Cass!" Horatius had sent Cass out with a small team on a forlorn hope after a group of Board members had succumbed to an itch to have him 'replaced' with someone else. Someone loyal to _them_ as opposed to loyal to the Clergy and humanity. Competence was secondary to loyalty after all. He hadn't had any word from the team. "Is he...?"

"He is alive." The other said heavily. "I don't know for how long. We are almost past the ring of Grineer sentries. I will drop him off along with the information he has. The others... didn't make it."

Horatius swore under his breath and then froze. "Wait a moment... You are... _past_ the Grineer lines_?_" It couldn't be...

"Almost." The other said quietly. "Don't try anything. We are on hair trigger. But I know about being left behind. He deserves better."

"They... _We_ cannot let you leave..." Horatius said slowly. "Mitchell..."

"Open a bay." The voice snapped. "Or I _will_ fire him at you. Crap!" Everything seemed to stop as a flying wedge of Grineer skimmers passed by the station and two of them... collided with something that wasn't visible. For a moment, the Grineer seemed to pause. That pause cost them. The NightNova dropped its stealth and opened fire.

"Cover him!" Horatius shouted as the screens went nuts, every single Grineer on the plot suddenly arrowing towards the now visible sentient spacecraft. "NightNova, go to max acceleration! _You are in the Balor's range!_"

But it was too late. A bright red beam reached out across the cosmos and touched the black phantom ship on one end. A scream... -was it one voice or _two?_- sounded and then was gone. When the blast had cleared, the ship was gone.

"No..." Horatius begged,. "That pod! Snag it before the Grineer do!" A tech jumped to send a formation of drones to retrieve the pod. "Mitchell! NightNova! Respond!"

There was no reply.


	16. Chapter 16

**Lucky or unlucky**

He... hurt.

Everything hurt.

For a long moment, he didn't know what had happened or why. Then memory flooded in. The red beam, the awful pain...

"NightNova!" Mitchell screamed as he...sat up? He stared around wildly, then slowly relaxed. He didn't hurt now. The room was not familiar, but he knew what it was. The feel was distinctive. He was in a virtual world. The room was bare except for the bed on which he lay. No decorations, no nothing. "What.. the...?"

The pilot shook his head and slowly sat up all the way. Nothing happened and he swung his feet off the bed, aware that he still wore his flightsuit. Had he died? Had the Balor Fomorian's beam destroyed the ship? He remembered NightNova launching the pod holding the Special Forces operative, so that was done. Out of his hands now if the man lived or died. This was...

He paused as a door suddenly materialized on one wall. One moment, the wall was bare, the next an Orokin style hatch shone. Mitchell shook his head slowly. Then he went totally still as a form entered the room, no one he knew. The female Tenno in the Mag warframe nodded to him.

"You are lucky to be alive." The newcomer said quietly.

"Am I?" Mitchell asked as calmly as he could manage. "This is virtual."

"Yes." The other nodded. "My name is Elenia. We were... in a good position to catch you as you tumbled by." Mitchell did not move and Elenia sighed. "Mitchell, we are not enemies."

"NightNova?" Mitchell asked as he slowly lay back down.

"Offline for the moment." Elenia said with a frown that was visible even through her closed faceplate. "We don't have the tech to repair it."

"No." Mitchell agreed. "Infested wouldn't, would they?" He saw the Mag tense.

"We are not enemies and you are not a prisoner, Mitchell." Elenia said sharply. "As soon as we can figure out how to get you to where you came from, we will. You need time to recover though. The neural shock was intense."

"Why would you?" Mitchell managed to keep the snide down. "After all, I am _biomass_, right?"

"Mitchell, don't do this..." Elenia said with a sigh. "Yes, I and my fellow Caretaker have legitimate grievances with the Orokin. Not with _you_. What you did was brave if somewhat foolhardy."

"I _serve_ Orokin and this isn't real." Mitchell snapped.

"Right now, you are floating in a pod filled with blue goo." Elenia said reasonably. "Do you _want_ to see? It's... pretty gross."

Whatever else Mitchell was going to say was cut off as another form appeared in the middle of the room, standing between Elenia and the bed. She wore and odd, flowing robe that covered almost her entire body. A veil concealed her face, except for her mouth, which had a burn scar visible.

"Shut it, pilot!" The woman snapped. "They are trying to _help._"

"Janet..." Elenia sighed. Mitchell went still. Janet? The _Oracle_?

"He is not one of the ones who screwed you Caretakers so tell Jasmina to quit sulking." The Oracle said sharply. She turned to Mitchell and her mouth was a thin line. "And yes, they are doing the best they can. They cannot trust anyone else, Mitchell. _Anyone_. What would _you_ do?"

"I am just a pilot, Ma'am." Mitchell said quietly. "I go where I am told and do what I am told." The Oracle just looked at him, crossing her arms. Neither woman moved and Mitchell sighed. "What happened?" he asked, unbending a little.

"NightNova was hit by the beam." Janet said with a shiver. "The damage wasn't catastrophic, but it was close. You were linked to the ship when it was hit." Mitchell tensed and Janet nodded. "The only thing that saved you was NightNova sacrificed parts of itself to keep your core intact." Mitchell felt all of his breath leave his body in a solid whoosh.

"NightNova?" Mitchell heard someone else say in his voice? Couldn't be him. There was no way he could be that calm right now.

"We don't know." Elenia said quietly. "We cannot get it to respond. We have tried everything, even pulling you into this virtual world. It is like it is not there. We are hoping you can get through to it." Mitchell looked at her and then at the Oracle who pursed her lips.

"Why?" Mitchell asked slowly. "Why me? Why NightNova? I am no one special even if the ship is."

"Because they need you." Janet said quietly when Elenia did not reply. "The Caretakers need you and NightNova. Hence why they were shadowing you." Elenia tensed as Mitchell sat up again. Janet nodded to Mitchell. "They need a pilot. They need someone skilled in stealth and speed. They need _you_."

"I have a life." Mitchell said slowly. "I... We have a child on the way..."

"I know." Janet said quietly. "And I am sorry, Mitchell." Was she crying? She _was!_

"Wha-?" Mitchell paused and stared from the Oracle to the Caretaker. "What have you done?"

"It was the _only_ way to slow your tumble, Mitchell." Elenia said sadly. "We managed to snag NightNova with tendrils three times and each time, the tendrils broke. The stresses were too much. So finally, we launched a pod that made contact. It had thrusters that slowed you and moved you so we could intercept."

"And?" Mitchell hadn't known his voice could get that flat.

"The only substance strong enough and viscous enough to adhere to an Orokin hull..." Elenia said heavily. "...was Technocyte based." Mitchell froze. "We thought we could protect you. We were wrong."

"You... infested me..." Mitchell said softly, disbelieving.

"We pulled you in and got you secured quickly." Elenia hastened to say. "And we did everything we could. Mitchell, please!" She begged. "This is not how we wanted to do this! We just wanted to _talk!_"

"How long have you been shadowing me?" Mitchell felt anger rise.

"We were trying to figure out how to talk to you without you frying anyone who made contact." Elenia said quietly. "Avalon can track the portals we used. We need another means of transport. We needed a pilot. You."

"I... have a wife..." Mitchell said slowly.

"I am sorry, Mitchell." Elenia said sadly. "We did not intend the pod to break open on contact. We did not intend the virus to infect you or NightNova."

"What have you done to NightNova?" Mitchell surged to his feet, but neither female retreated.

"NightNova is infected too, Mitchell." Janet said, her tone gentle. "They meant well, Mitchell. They wanted to save your life. To ask for your help. Not this."

"_Never_ this." Elenia was crying now too. "We didn't want it to be like this."

"I serve Orokin." Mitchell said sharply. "Not traitors." Janet and Elenia both recoiled at that. "Mitchell, Lieutenant Commander. ON12L12876012."

"Mitchell..." Elenia begged, but the Oracle just shook her head slowly and vanished.

"Mitchell, Lieutenant Commander. ON12L12876012."

**Later**

"I..." Elenia was sobbing as Jasmina held her. "We... we have to _help_ him! He will be subsumed if we don't." She had tried for twenty minutes to get Mitchell to speak again. Every reply was the same. Name. Rank. Service number.

"And if he won't _accept_ our help?" The Ember Prime asked quietly.

_Forcing him to accept our help will not endear us to him._ The voice of Jasmina's lost mate came through the massed mind. _We need another way._

"Well, what do you suggest?" Jasmina asked with a wince that Elenia shared. "He won't accept our help. We cannot let him go back. They will kill him on sight."

It was what Tenno _did_ to Infested allies. More 'merciful' in many cases. This case was slightly different. Mitchell was going to change physically, but with care, they could protect his mind. _If_ he did not resist, which he _would_. They could slow the change dampen it. But not stop it. What had been done to cure Michelle was a once off and as far as anyone knew, not reproducible. Elenia and the mass mind's Healer had spent _centuries_ looking for ways to remove Technocyte infection from hosts. It simply did not work. They had tried so hard not to infect him and it had happened anyway.

_We cannot hold him._ Dust said quietly. _We cannot force him to accept our aid._ Odd that Jasmina's mate was a disembodied voice most of the time, but no odder than some around the sole sane mind mass of Infested in the Solar System. _Ask Janet?_

"We do not want to come to rely on her." Elenia said slowly as she hugged Jasmina back. After so many centuries alone, Elenia was very much a huggy type person. "We are too close to this. We are emotionally involved. Everyone we know is."

"If we were regular Tenno with such a quandary..." Jasmina said slowly. "I would go to an Elder. But..." She paused and all three of them chorused as one.

"Raven."

**A hidden colony**

"This is... unexpected."

Raven was a probationary Elder. She had been chosen both for her political acumen and her absolute impartiality. She looked at the facts and nothing else. She could and did often turn her emotions off to see things clearly. Once an unwitting spy for the Sentients and then an experimental subject for Alad V's madness, she did not let the horrors of her past dim her enthusiasm for doing the right thing. She had never really been a Warrior though, unlike her sister Alicia who served Karl's clan as a combat medic. In her heart, she had always been a legist and a facilitator. She stood in her tiny office and stared at the small form that had asked for an appointment on short notice.

"I know." The Mag warframe was unadorned. "Please... hear me out?" Elenia begged.

She was unarmed. One did _not_ come into one of the hidden Tenno colonies armed to the teeth. Maybe if the Relays actually worked as planned, then Tenno could come and go as they wished in those. But _these_ colonies survived by being hidden. Weapons were available in case of emergency, but normally, the peace was kept because people _wanted_ it kept. Break the peace and bad things happened. Especially now.

"I can see why you gave the guards a false name." Raven said mildly, not moving from where she stood. "But you are not garnering trust. As soon as they ID you every alarm in this colony will go off. You know this. With Horus on the loose... They are on hair trigger."

"I know." Elenia said sadly. "But we have little time. We need an Elder and none of the others would even give a Caretaker of the Unclean the time of day."

"Any of the others would call guards." Raven said mildly. "Or draw and fire." She smiled a bit thinly at that. Yes, people were _supposed_ to be unarmed. _Tenno?_ Ha! _Especially_ after Nikis had barged into one of their 'sealed' meetings to exercise his own peculiar brand of _diplomacy_. "Why me?" The Elder asked quietly. "I am just a probationary Elder."

"You were called to run this colony when Mavri was incapacitated." Elenia said quietly. "He recovered so you were not needed. You are at loose ends with no job. We need an unbiased opinion. We screwed up and we want to make it right." Raven jerked a little at that and Elenia nodded. "But not here. Not now. We... don't have a lot of time."

"Sister..." Raven did not speak Elenia's name. "I _am_ biased. I saw what happened." Elenia stiffened and Raven nodded. "Recordings only. But..." She sighed. "Orders may be interpreted or questioned. We are Tenno, not robots. I am not perfect, I might have been swayed by the madman's lies as well."

"I know." Elenia said quietly. "You are what we have. You are available and you are as close to unbiased as anyone who might listen to us."

"I agree that the whole episode was shameful." Raven said with a sigh. "I... can agree to listen. No more."

"That is all I -we- ask." Elenia said quietly. She jerked as the door hissed open. "No!" She screamed as a Trinity warframe stepped in, an oddly shaped device in her hand. "Don't!" A golden haze surrounded her and then Alicia fired her device. Elenia screamed and vanished. Raven snarled.

"What have you _done?_" The Elder demanded.

"What I had to." Alicia said calmly as she lowered the device. "She is a threat."

"We were talking!" Raven snapped. "Where did you send her?" Alicia just looked at her older sister and Raven shook her head. "I can and _will_ go and get _her_ to _order_ you to tell me. You _know_ I will." Raven was not a Warrior, but at the moment, it didn't matter. The threat was no joke.

"Orders were clear." Alicia said softly. "She is in no danger. We... hurt her enough. Before."

"Where?" Raven snapped, moving towards the door.

"Where do you think?" Raven froze at the words and Alicia nodded. "We need to end the rift. Whatever it takes. They may be our best weapon against Horus."

**Elsewhere**

Alone.

She was alone. It... wasn't supposed to be like this. Elenia beat at the walls that surrounded her. The golden walls. They were soft. Padded? But they would not give.

Alone.

For most of her life, she had been in a group. She had company in her mind. It had been... odd at first but she had adapted quickly and come to rely on the others in their small group. Healer's bottomless compassion. Lars' strength of will. Helga's spontaneous cheerfulness even when things looked worst. But now... She was alone.

The golden walls faded and she was falling. She heard someone crying. It sounded like her voice. Other voices babbled.

"Oh my god!" A female voice sounded as Elenia hit the floor and curled into a ball. "Caretaker? Elenia? What happened?" Gentle hands were touching her now, easing her, trying to calm her. But she could not respond.

_Elenia!_ Jasmina's voice screamed in her mind. _No! Stay! Don't you dare fade on me! We __**need**__ you!_

_Fire... Heart..._ Elenia managed to croak out in her mind. _I..._

_I will kill them! _Jasmina screamed, her rage flying free. _I will kill them all!_

_No. _Elenia begged. _You are better than me, Jasmina... Don't... Don't give in... to your hate..._

"Easy." A familiar voice sounded close at hand and warmth spread from her neck to suffuse every pore of Elenia's body."The transit jarred your communication with your charges, Caretaker. It will recover."

Hands were easing her now as lethargy seeped through her following the fire that had sparked her. She could feel the others on the mind mass again as darkness pulled her into welcoming arms. She was... dying.

"You... I..." Elenia stared up at... The Empress of Orokin. "You... idiots..." Then she fell still.

"You motherfucking _idiots!_" Nikis was in rare form as he stalked into the hall. "Have you all _completely_ lost your fucking _minds_?" He utterly ignored the Space Marine and Sister of Battle who covered him with their bolters. "Get _away_ from her!" No one else dared even breathe hard as the _furious_ Nekros stormed up to where Elenia lay.

"Nikis... I..." Eliza recoiled as the Nekros bent down to touch the still Mag. What happened next... boggled the mind.

"Mind of Light..." Nikis said gently. "Stay. You are needed. She is angry. Very angry. You are needed, little one."

_Nikis..._ A tiny voice spoke from nowhere. Elenia. _It hurts..._

"I know, honey." Nikis said quietly as energy flared around his hand and poured slowly over the still Mag Prime. "But you feel them now. Jasmina is going nuts."

_She is a good person._ The love in the tiny voice was easy to hear. _Nikis... I... I am dying aren't I?_

"Yes." Nikis said slowly. "They didn't know, Elenia. They didn't know how closely tied you were to your charges." A gasp swept the room, horrified. "Let me try..." More energy swept over the fallen Mag.

_Not your fault, Nikis._ The other replied. _Don't... Don't... do anything rash. I love you Nikis, don't... Don't lose yourself now. Let me go. Help Jamina and Lisa. They will need you. __**Soul Guardian**__. I... go into the darkness... unafraid. __**You**__ are there to ward me..._

"I... Elenia..." The Nekros shook his head. "Mind of Light, please." There was no response. A soft growl came from the Nekros as the Mag warframe... was still. The lights under its skin... went out. He bowed his head and a rush of orange energy flew from her warframe into his gauntlet.

"Nikis, we can..." Eliza started to speak and froze as Jane Talona screamed.

"_**NOBODY MOVE!**_" The Mesa... had her hands well out from her sides where her pistols sat. Then again... she was a gunfighter too. She knew how _utterly_ outclassed she was. The Nekros rose, his own hands on his pistols. "Nikis... please... it wasn't _her_ fault. _Ours_ if anyone's... Nikis please!"

"You killed her." Nikis said softly. "Taking her from the mind mass after so long killed her. There was nothing I could do." When he looked at Eliza, the Empress shrank from his gaze. "I am going to say this only the **_once_**. **_Lisa_ **is **_sacrosanct_**. _Touch_ her and Horus won't _have_ to do a _thing_. I will _throw_ your haven _into_ the _Sun_ with every living _soul_ still inside. Men, women, children, Tenno. _No one_ will survive. _Do I make myself_ _clear_?" He asked, his voice calm but not.

"Nikis, we may be able to save her." Eliza begged.

"Like you just _did?_" Nikis snapped. "Begging your pardon, you motherfucking _bitch_, but I have something _far_ more important to do now than listen to your prattle. I have to go help Jasmina cope with losing the _only_ solid thing she had in her _life_."

"Nikis, please!" Eliza begged. "We can bring her back! But we need her energy!"

"So you can _play_ with her?" Nikis snapped. "No." He started for the door. The red armored Space Marine blocked it and Nikis shook his head. "Move, moron. _Now_."

"You are not thinking clearly." Abrahaim said firmly. "We erred. If we can help, we must." Nikis... paused.

"What do you mean?" The Nekros demanded.

"I was Grineer." The Space Marine said quietly. "Now I am not. You could not save her. That is a tragedy for we need her and her people against Horus. I do not know why you do distrust the Empress, but I can understand betrayals. We..." He nodded to Tiana, Two, Abigail and Jane Talona who stood frozen. "...would aid if we can. To end the threat Horus represents. To prove we mean what we say."

"How?" Nikis demanded. "She is dead."

"_Is_ she?" The Space Marine asked quietly. "Then _what_ resides inside your armor?"

"I..." For the first time in a long, long time, Nikis was stunned speechless. "You would do that? For _her_?" Instead of the Space Marine, _Eliza_ answered.

"Yes."


	17. Chapter 17

**Repairs**

"Um... Jasmina... Please point that somewhere else."

Healer Iriana sounded calm, but no one sane would have said the situation was anything but tense. Nikis had flatly refused to remain on Avalon with Elenia's essence. No one had dared stop him. Indeed, Two had simply picked up the still Mag warframe and followed him. Nikis had ported directly to the newly formed tower and everyone else had followed a bit less precipitously. Then Jasmina had arrived and the less said about her comments to the various persons involved in the fiasco the better. The fact that she refused to disarm was far less disturbing than the _five_ Eximus Ancients that accompanied her that refused to leave her side. She hadn't even bothered to hide her suspicion, and the Phage shotgun in her hands hadn't wavered. The changed individuals -barring Violet who was still unconscious- had come as well as a pair of others.

Sister Abigail was doing...something with the help of the tower. Something that involved the Mag warframe that had so recently housed Elenia's mind. That wasn't the problem. Abrahaim stood between her and Nikis, and also between her and Jasmina. Tiana and Two stood silently by one wall, Jane beside them but not -quite- with them. That wasn't the problem _either_. Nikis standing near one wall glowering at everyone wasn't the problem this time. The problem was the Prime warframe that had accompanied _Michelle_ when the Princess had come _also_ had a weapon in hand. Michelle hadn't even asked _permission_, she had just come. But then again...

"I trust you, Iriana." Jasmina said, not moving. "No one else but Nikis. They killed her."

"Jasmina." Iriana's voice was soft now. "I _know_ how angry you are. I _agree_. But you ready to blow holes in people isn't helping Elenia." Jasmina looked at her and then at one of the Ancients. She shook her head a little and then slung her shotgun. But her hands dropped to her sides where a pair of Vasto pistols hung.

"Why should we trust you?" Jasmina demanded of Michelle who nodded soberly.

"Because _we_ are only peripherally involved." Michelle said quietly using the royal 'we' to denote Avalon and it's rulers. "As soon as we heard that she was at the colony, we knew we had to talk to her. But... No one expected _this_."

"She hasn't been alone in her mind since the Collapse." Iriana's soft words were sad. "She couldn't handle the stress of being disconnected." Jasmina growled and Iriana shook her head. "Jasmina, _anyone_ could have made the same error. Hell, _I_ could have."

"_You_ didn't." Jasmina snapped, not taking her eyes off the Mag Prime that was Michelle's bodyguard who returned the scrutiny. "We wanted to talk... but _this?_ No more. If you can help her, great. If not? You all can go to hell. We will have nothing _else_ to do with you scum."

"No." Michelle said softly and took a step forward. Her guard made a noise of protest and Michelle snarled at her with a noise worthy of an Infested. "Jasmina, please... We have _wronged_ you. You _and_ her." She shook her head. "We wanted to make it right. _End_ the rift between us. Not _this_."

"_And_ use us against Horus." Jasmina snapped. "Don't forget _that._"

"If possible, yes." Michelle agreed. "But _only_ if you so chose." She retorted. Jasmina did not reply and Michelle sighed. "Petra, stand down." She took another step forward and Petra made a strangled noise, but did not move as Michelle closed the distance towards the irate Ember Prime. Michelle's eyes were glistening as she moved to stand within Jasmina's reach and knelt slowly. "We have _wronged_ you, Caretaker. We have cost you. We want to make it _right_. No matter the cost." Jasmina recoiled as if struck and all five of the Ancients were staring at Michelle now. "Can you still hear my thoughts?" She asked the Ancients who looked from her to Jasmina and back.

"Get... away from me..." Jasmina's words were jerky as if she was fighting herself. One of the Ancients laid a tentacle on her arm and she relaxed a little. "Get back." Michelle did not move and Jasmina retreated a step, then two to stand in the midst of the group of Ancients. "Nikis..." Jasmina said softly. "Tell me she is okay..." She begged.

"She is asleep." Nikis said quietly, not moving at all. His hands lay on his pistols. "All else fails? She merges with the mind mass as she wished." Michelle made a grieving noise and Nikis shook his head. "Fuck you. I ain't letting you screw her again. Not going to happen."

"We are ready." Sister Abigail said into the tense stillness that resulted from Nikis' proclamation. "But you do not trust." She said to Jasmina and Nikis. "So... Sister Tiana?"

"I knew my time was short." Tiana said quietly as she moved to the wall and started to lay down her arms. "But I... expected something more... concrete."

"Horus hurt you." Abrahaim said quietly. "I do not know when he woke. He was not the one who altered me. I was busy." No equivocation, simple statement of fact. "You may not be as you were."

"You saved me." Tiana said as she started undoing her armor. Talona nodded and moved to assist her. "I was dead, and you saved me. The Emperor sent you to save me."

"I did as ordered." If the hulking Space Marine was embarrassed it was unapparent. No one commented as Tiana stepped out of the power armor. Iriana handed her a patient gown that Tiana took with a nod. "Your body was destroyed, but you were not lost. That counts as a win, if unpleasant for you. And Horus... used me to hurt you." Now emotion sounded. Rage. "He took control. He may be able to again." He warned.

"Over my dead body." Sister Abigail snapped. "I am pretty sure how that spawn of Chaos took control. If so, I have countered it."

"And if _not_..." He nodded to Nikis and Jane. "You will _not_ get two shots. Make your _first_ one count."

"We have _enough_ trouble without borrowing extra." Iriana said with a deep sigh as a wide table extruded from one wall. She nodded to Tiana who moved to lie down on it. "I did as instructed. Tiana... are you _sure_? This body is fully functional. Yours is a _mess_."

"Caretaker Jasmina will not believe without hard evidence." Tiana said quietly as she lay herself out straight. Jasmina shook her head. "I do not blame her. And whatever happens? Do not grieve for me. I go to the Emperor's side." She lay back and closed her eyes, her mouth working as she prayed silently.

A pulse of golden energy heralded the arrival of another form on the table, this one wrapped in golden foil. Two jerked as she saw the torn body of her friend and clanmate inside the foil.

"Iriana..." Two begged.

"Her body is... functional." Iriana said softly. "It goes against the grain, to do something that I know will hurt someone."

"What must be, must be." Tiana said quietly. "I am ready." Then she screamed as power washed over her and the... other. Iriana and Sister Abigail moved forward, tools and skills ready, but both stopped as Abrahaim motioned them to. The human form slowly faded as it became energy that was pulled into the torn mass of flesh that had once been Tiana, a Tenno Warrior of Karl's clan.

The scream cut off.

"I..." Tiana's voice from her old body was raw, hoarse. "I feel... Ow?"

"Tiana?" Iriana asked carefully. "What happened?"

"I dunno." Tiana said softly. "Missed a trap, but I killed the scanner! I _know_ I did. Went down hard..." She tried to move and gave a hiss.

"Don't move." Iriana said sharply, her hands flying over her controls. "Do you remember anything else?" She pulled the foil back from Tiana's face and the woman's eyes opened to look at her.

"A guy in black..." Tiana sounded confused now. "Another... in red." Everyone paused at that. "I don't... I don't know... It's all fuzzy."

"Tenno Tiana..." Abrahaim growled. "You may remember more. You may not."

"You... held me." Tiana said softly, looking at the red armored form. "There was another form behind you. A guy in black. A Tenno I think. Limbo warframe."

"Horus." The hated name went around the room.

"What happened to me?" Tiana tried to move and couldn't. Her body simply wasn't capable of it.

"We thought we had lost you." Two said quietly, tears sounding in her voice. "When we got to where you were, your essence was not in your warframe." Tiana stared at the Banshee and then at the Space Marine.

"You took me." Tiana sounded... unsure?

"I did." Shame sounded in the Space Marine's words now. "I thought he was helping until he took control from me. He interrogated you, to further his ends. His vengeance. Not the Emperor's will but _his_." The Space Marine shook his head. "Such heresy will not stand."

"But I am back. If hurt." Tiana said with a sigh. "So... now what?"

"Now we do a lot of scans." Iriana said with a smile. "But from what I see, you _are_ you. Sleep if you can, Tiana. This will take a while. You have healing to do." Tiana gave a sigh and then relaxed into sleep, her features smoothing as she lost consciousness. "No abnormalities." She turned to the Caretaker. "Jasmina?" No one moved as one of the Ancients stepped forward to lay a slow tentacle on the slumbering Tenno. It paused for a moment, then retracted the tentacle and retreated a step. "Well?"

"It says she feels like a Tenno." Jasmina's words were halting. "But..."

"Jasmina." Nikis' voice was calm and cool. Jasmina slumped and then nodded. The gunfighter nodded as well. "Elenia's body?"

"There is nothing wrong with her _body_. It was the shock of disconnection." Iriana said quietly. "We need to talk to her, Nikis. Explain."

"If I wake her up, I may not be able to put her back to sleep." Nikis warned. "And she is likely to be pissed." He glanced at Michelle and Petra. "I better explain fast."

"My life is hers." Michelle said formally. Several sets of eyes went wide at that. "We wronged her. Through ignorance, not malice, but we hurt her." Nikis made a gesture and a soft voice stilled the room again as a holo appeared nearby. Elenia wore Tenno robes instead of a warframe and her face was sad.

_I don't want your life._ Elenia said quietly. Jasmina made a noise of grief and fear and Elenia turned to look at her, chiding expression on her face. _Calm down, Fire Heart. It will be okay. This is what we wanted. To heal the rift._

"Not at the cost of _your life!_" Michelle and Jasmina both spoke as one and then stared at each other.

_Tenno serve._ Elenia said calmly. _It is what we do. Nikis and Janet got me up to speed fast when they woke me. I am ready._

"This may not work." Sister Abigail said quietly as she moved to stand by the still Mag warframe again. "And if it does not, you may not be recoverable."

_Risk is part of life._ Elenia said as her holo moved to stand next to the table._ Jasmina, if it doesn't work... You __**will**__ talk to Healer. You will be calm._ This was in a voice of iron. _You __**will**__ go on._

"Without _you_?" Jasmina squeaked, her heart in her voice. "I... Elenia..."

_We have a __**duty**__, Jasmina._ Elenia said firmly. _You are needed. Vengeance is not why we took the job. You __**know**__ this. _Jasmina jerked and then nodded as the holo turned back to the Sister Hospitaller. _What do I do?_ She asked Sister Abigail.

"Lay your hands on the warframe. It knows you, it should pull you in." Sister Abigail said quietly. "I do not know if there will be pain or not. But your body is functional."

_Thank you._ Elenia said quietly. Her transparent hands touched the warframe and her holo vanished. Then the Mag warframe jerked. "That was... _**odd**_." Elenia's voice sounded dazed but cleared quickly. "Yes, Jasmina, I feel fine." She said to a silent message from the Ember Prime. She sat up nodding to the others. "And _no_, not until later." She said firmly.

Everyone looked at her and then at Jasmina who snickered a bit.

"Had to be sure it was her." Jasmina said in a tone of artful innocence. Iriana shook her head as she moved to stand by the table.

"How do you feel, Elenia?" Iriana asked carefully.

"Odd." Elenia said after a moment. "Like I am not all here." She shrugged. "I guess that is understandable. I died."

"We give apology." Michelle said from where she still knelt. "We had no idea."

"How _could_ you?" Elenia asked reasonably. "It wasn't something we told the universe. If, as you say, your life is mine, then I _spare_ it. Get up." She looked at the Healer. "May I rise, Healer? Jasmina needs a hug right about now. She is about to lose it."

"I lost you." Jasmina said quietly as Iriana did a scan and then nodded. Elenia rose and ran to Jasmina, hugging the Ember Prime tight as Jasmina started to cry. "I _lost_ you!" She screamed as she hugged the Mag back.

"Well now you have me back." Elenia said with a sigh. "And we have a _big_ mess to clean up..."

**A fairly soggy hour later**

"Mitchell is _alive_?" Iriana snapped.

"We were trying to catch him after NightNova took the hit and went into an uncontrolled trajectory." Elenia sounded abject now. She sat, out of her warframe. Jasmina sat beside her, still in her Ember Prime. "We couldn't stop the tumble! It... We had a thought to attach a pod with thrusters. He and NightNova were unconscious. The pod made contact and... it broke open. It thrusted, stopped the tumble, but..." She slumped. "Our fault."

"He is infected." Michelle said, horrified. Two, Jane and Iriana all hissed as well. Abrahaim and Sister Abigail stood quietly. Nikis just watched.

"Yes." Elenia said sadly. "We had hoped to minimize it and we did. But... He _is_ infected. We wanted to help, to ask for his help. Not this. Never this. The whole _point_ of the mass mind is that joining it now is voluntary. We_ cannot_ conscript him." She sighed. "If he chooses... We will send him to the Tenno."

"And they will kill him." Iriana said slowly. "A far more merciful fate compared to falling prey to feral infested or Alad V's latest madness." Elenia nodded and Jasmina hugged her again.

"We were trying to help and we hurt him." Elenia said firmly. "It is no different from what you did to me." She said to Michelle. "Ignorance is no excuse."

"The difference is... Mitchell is still alive." Iriana corrected her. "Michelle? Your arm was changed..."

"It was one of Redi's devices." Michelle said with distaste,, staring down at her right arm. "I don't think any of us would trust it now."

"Got _that_ right." Nikis, Two, Iriana and Jasmina all chorused with Elenia.

"I can... ask." Michelle said slowly. "But I can imagine what people will say. It cannot be moved from where it is. It requires too much power and is too delicate to move." She slumped a bit. "And bringing him to it... if he is Infected... No." She shook her head. "The Royal Guard won't allow it."

"No, we won't." Petra said quietly.

"Can you talk to him?" Elenia asked quietly. "He needs help. We can ease him, slow it. We _cannot_ stop it. Anything we can do, we will."

"Where is he?" Michelle asked after a moment. Petra tensed and Michelle shook her head. "Don't even try, Petra. This is as much our responsibility as what happened to Elenia. Mitchell is our soldier. If we can help him, we must. Anne..." She trailed off with a sad sigh.

"She will freak." Iriana said with a slow nod. "She is barely holding onto her sanity as it is."

"Anne is his mate?" Elenia asked, her tone speculative.

"Another pilot. She can't fly anymore." Michelle confirmed. "Injured by the Corpus."

"Injured how?" Elenia asked, looking at Jasmina who stiffened.

"Elenia..." Jasmina warned.

"Neural shock." Iriana said slowly. Then her eyes went huge. "Wait..." They had treated Iriana for something similar once.

"We might be able to help her." Elenia said quietly. "And... if we prepare for her, we can keep her from being exposed to the virus. Does she.. have a job?"

"No. She is a disabled veteran." Michelle said with a shrug. "We have been taking care of her."

"Maybe... we can." Elenia said quietly. "And we do know a lot about neural shock..."

"And it keeps her close to Mitchell." Iriana finished the thought. "And if it gets her healed and occupied..." She looked at Michelle. "Well?"

"All I can do is ask." Michelle said with a shrug. "But for now... This is formal. We apologize to you, Caretakers." This was the royal 'We' again. "For your hurts. For the betrayals. For all the mistakes we made." She bowed her head and waited. Elenia looked at Jasmina pointedly and the Ember Prime nodded slowly.

"Apology accepted."

**Far across the solar system**

_Lousy stupid Orokin scum, stealing my pieces..._

The one known to others as Horus was a silent shadow as he moved through the Grineer ship. He found what he sought and smiled as the Orokin device came to life under his fingers. Alarms started to blare and he ignored them. They were inconsequential. Some charged him, their blows flaying through his Void shrouded form. Others fired their puny weapons and stared as the bullets went right through him. Then they all froze in place as power arced from the Orokin device into Horus' hands.

The closest Grineer screamed as Horus turned to face him, the Limbo's hands wreathed in eldritch purple energy.

"Oh don't worry." Horus spoke calmly as the Grineer was wreathed in power that changed him from a human form into something that looked sort of like brother Abrahaim, although the armor was black and had spikes in various places. "I promise you, you will _enjoy_ this."

The Orokin power scoured through the Galleon, changing each and every of the two hundred Grineer aboard the ship. Some in minor ways. Others... more so. Horus... smiled.

"Arise, Cultists, Daemons and Warriors of the Black Legion. War and death await!"


	18. Chapter 18

**Darkness Rising**

The screams were... delicious.

None of the humans of the colony had any warning whatsoever. It wasn't a particularly large colony, only about five hundred people. Of those, perhaps ten had any kind of training with weapons. More than a few had weapons, mind you, but those weapons? Fairly useless against the hulking black armored forms that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and simply opened fire. The colony had lived in peace in a hidden part of Mars that was still habitable to humans for millennia. They had been somewhat prepared for Grineer, Corpus or Infested. Not this. Not Chaos Space Marines with bolters.

But the ones cut down by bolter fire were the _lucky_ ones.

Chanting misshapen forms that looked sort of like Grineer pulled women and children out of their hiding places, ignoring their screams of pain and fear, herding them into the center of the tiny colony. There they huddled in small groups under the wary guns of a dozen of the black armored forms. None of the huge humanoid forms replied to the shouted questions and demands that were hurled their way. Only when one particularly brave teenager tried to flee did any of the black armored forms move. A single contemptuous shot splattered the young woman across several of her peers and no one else dared to move. Then her body started to glow.

More than one of the terrified humans cried out as the young woman's body dissolved, a purple disc forming from where she had lain. It flew to the hands of another form, this one different. He wore armor similar to the others, but his helmet had two huge horns that rose up almost like a crown. His backpack, instead of spike orbs, had snarling daemon mouths at each side. But most worrisome of all... The odd staff he carried in his hands glowed even brighter as the purple disc that had formed from the girl flew into it. A sharp shriek sounded and then... was gone.

"So many sacrifices to be made..." The terrifying form said in a mild voice as the black armored forms took aim. "No, no..." He chided the armored forms and they lowered their weapons. "Not like that. Our brother... hungers." A huge roar sounded in the distance and a wailing cry went up around the humans. The apparent leader laughed coldly. "You humans will serve nicely."

"What do you want?" One older woman demanded.

"Who _me_?" The glowing form asked, to all appearances shocked by the question. "All _I_ want is justice. But that is denied me. So I will take _vengeance_ instead." The words were calm and uninflected. It took a moment for people to realize what he meant and they tensed to flee despite the futility. But he raised his hands and a glowing barrier of purple energy surrounded the square that held the few survivors of the town. "Now, now..." The odd being chided them. "Don't be like that. It won't hurt."

A huge red form strode forward, its bulk eclipsing the meager light. It roared again and spread two red wings. It's mouth opened wide and more than one of the humans cried out as they saw blood and worse things falling from its maw.

"The _dead_ feel nothing." Horus said with a smile as the Bloodthirster Daemon saw its prey and with a cry, started forward to feed.

Horus ignored the Bloodthirster as it cleaved and _ate_ its way through the survivors. Some tried to flee the monster and hit the energy barrier. Their deaths powered his staff further.

"Okay." Horus said with a sigh as the daemon did what daemons do. "Now we..." Whatever he was going to say next was cut off as an explosion sounded in the midst of the carnage. A white armored form simply appeared, a golden blade flashing as he faced off the huge red demon. "What?" Horus snapped. "_No!_ Stop him!"

But there was nothing to be done. The Rhino warframe was _inside_ the energy barrier, standing over two cringing human girls. The only living left of the survivors. He stood in front of them and met the monster's charge head on. The golden blade flashed as the Rhino nimbly dodged each and every one of the daemon's attacks, his won blade scoring the monster's thick hide. Normal weapons would simply bounce off the otherworldly hide, but that Orthos Prime was _not_ a normal weapon.

The daemon, frenzied by an enemy it could not hit, swung again and again until finally, it's axe hit the purple barrier which popped. The feedback from the discharge slammed into Horus and left him reeling. The daemon, bereft of his command, charged the Tenno again.

"Enough!" Horus screamed as he rose to his full height. Two bolts of purple energy slammed from his staff to touch both still cringing humans who vanished, consumed by its power. The Tenno shook it's head minutely and then, with a quick slash, cut one of the daemon's wings to the bone. "_Stop!_" The camouflaged form snapped with a snarl. "My quarrel is with the Orokin, _not_ with the Tenno!"

"No?" Another voice sounded and Horus went still as three more forms appeared nearby. More Tenno. An Excalibur Prime with a Skana in hand. A Trinity with a Burston Prime in hand and...

"You!" The mad Tenno said slowly. "It cannot be... You were destroyed."

Jane stood, both of her hands resting on her pistols. Not Tenno weapons those. No. Bolt Pistols more like what Horus and the Chaos Space Marine pawns that he had made carried. But they were puppets. Not actual living, thinking beings. Not like Brother Abrahaim. Not like Jane.

"I would order you to surrender." Jane said quietly. "But you won't. And frankly? I don't want you to. You denied me my husband."

"How can this be?" Horus demanded. "You were destroyed Your body was dust!"

"You and your pawns cannot stop the Emperor's wrath." Jane said as she slowly drew both of her pistols. "And for future reference? There _is_ such a thing in this universe called a platinum revive." She bowed her head and shook it. "By the Emperor's will, you will harm no more innocents."

"Innocents?" Horus screamed. "There _are_ no _Orokin_ innocents! I will burn them all in warp fire. I will take their souls and feed them to Tzeentch! I will-" He paused as Jane shot him. He stared down at the bolter shell that hung, embedded in his field of energy. It exploded and threw him back a bit, but did no further harm.

"You always did talk too much." Jane said mildly as a red armored form appeared nearby. Brother Abrahaim wasted no time on speech. He too opened fire. Then it was a general melee.

**Avalon**

"Mother..." Michelle shook her head slowly as Eliza paced. "What else can we do? Either the Tenno and the others stop him or they do not."

"There is more going on here than you know." Eliza said quietly. "More than anyone knows."

"I know." Michelle said quietly Eliza paused in her pacing and looked at her. Michelle shrugged. She couldn't talk about what had happened to her when her father Michael had dragged her into the deepest recesses of her mind during his mad attempt to seize Avalon's power for his own. But... "I do know about alternate realities." She paused and then stared at Eliza. "You _didn't!_" She breathed.

"I..." For once, the Empress of Orokin looked small. Lost and alone. "He offered. I... wasn't sure. I asked him to prove his intentions and he said I would know his hand when I saw it." She bowed her head.

"You..." Michelle swallowed hard. "_You_... Let someone external into our reality... Mother..." She said, horrified. If the dragon she had talked to before found out about _this_... he had said the border had to remain inviolate. She didn't want to _know_ how he would react. "Do you have _any_ idea how _bad_ an idea this is?"

"Yes." Eliza said simply. Michelle paused and then embraced her mother. "I need you two to leave." She said to the Royal Guard who stared at her. She rattled off a code and both nodded and left the room.

"Mother..." Michelle stepped back from the Empress, her face wary. "What have you done?" Instead of answering, Eliza took Michelle's hand. A flash of gold...

* * *

><p><em>Aw geez... Not <em>_**again**__..._ The sigh reverberated across the huge cavern. _Of all the stupid... __**human**__..._

_**Were **__**you**__** any different?**_The powerful voice was everywhere.

_No._ The first voice said quietly. _But I grew up._ _Oh well... Might as well talk to them. They are going to need help._

_**Indeed. This was... not planned for.**_

_Right._

**Somewhere outside of time and space**

Michelle gave a gasp as she and Eliza appeared in a cave. No, a cavern. It was huge and it was gorgeous. Part was natural, part was artificial. The artificial part was... odd. A map hung on one wall. It was nowhere she knew, a planet with two huge continents. Rack of obvious weapons were neatly arrayed near another. What she _did_ know was the huge form that lay in the middle of it. The huge... silver form. Two wings, long serpentine tail, long neck. She had seen... _the dragon_ once before.

"Oh no..." Michelle knelt slowly, bowing her head to the dragon. "I am sorry."

"You didn't do it." The dragon said with a sigh. The puff of warm air around Michelle felt... comforting. "Your mother did not do it." Michelle stared from the dragon to her mother and back.

"You two... _know_ each other..." Michelle felt her world start to rock on its axis.

"I hop realities." The dragon said with a huge sinuous movement that Michelle interpreted as a shrug. "I try not to interfere. It _usually_ causes more problems than it solves. _Doesn't it?_" His tone turned hard and Michelle's eyes went huge as a equally odd looking form appeared. Different. This one was a huge human form seated on a huge pyramidal golden throne. The dragon nodded. "Michelle, Princess of Orokin, meet the Emperor of Mankind. Yes, the one from the game. In _his_ universe, _your_ reality was a game."

"Ah..." Michelle swallowed hard and gave a full court curtsey. "A pleasure."

_**This... was not expected.**_ The silent but clear voice from the throne was calm, but held melancholy. _**I sent a means to aid, not this. This perversion. The Ruinous Powers have made themselves felt again.**_

"You opened the way, they followed." The dragon sounded weary. "In your reality, it is always that way. Only war. Never a moment's peace."

_**I had hopes for the Tau, but they too fell prey to their own hubris.**_ The Emperor agreed. _**All things will end. The horror must end, sometime. The only question is how much is **__**left**__** of the galaxy when they are done and the Eye of Terror finally closes.**_

"And until then, you need heroes." Eliza said with a bob of her head. "I knew Abrahaim was your hand as soon as I saw him. But the others..."

_**The one who calls himself Horus made them. He is twisted by his rage. Chaos found a worthy tool**_ _**as it did in his namesake**_ The Emperor replied sadly. _**When he reaches his full power, your Tenno will not be able to stand against him. Even now, they cannot harm him. Jane Talona **__**can**__**, but she is broken still.**_

"I don't understand." Michelle said into the silence that fell. "Is _Jane_ from your universe?"

"Nothing quite so simple." Eliza said with a deep sigh of regret. "It would take a couple of days to explain it all. Suffice it to say: No, she is from ours, but she touched the other. Not by choice."

"Oh." Michelle swallowed again and then she sighed. "What can we do?"

"Tell me something, princess Michelle..." The dragon said quietly. For a dragon anyway. It still rumbled across the cavern. "What is the opposite of chaos?"

"Order." Michelle said, confused. "But how does that help us?"

"Ask Violet." The dragon said calmly. "And Two."

"What?" Michelle asked, confused. Eliza paused and the dragon actually _winked_ at her.

_**Horus made a serious mistake.**_ The voice of the Emperor was calm as well, but anticipation sounded. _**May I fix my own mistake?**_ He was asking the dragon!

"I don't know if it was a mistake or not." The dragon replied. "It is going to make a _hell_ of a mess." He warned Eliza and Michelle who nodded. "The forces of Chaos want to expand their influence and see a new opportunity. We have to seal the breach."

"Can we?" Michelle asked after a moment's thought. All three of the others looked at her and Michelle shrugged. "I don't know the energies from that universe, but Horus is using our own. I can feel the draw every time he does. He cannot tap it directly, thank goodness."

"Yet." The dragon retorted. Michelle froze and the dragon nodded. "If he does, there will be no stopping him."

"Then we need to stop him." Michelle said firmly. "What do I do?"

"Talk to Violet and Two." The dragon said quietly. "I need to talk to your mother and you do not want to know."

_**You will not be alone.**_ The Emperor promised. _**Ab'gal'ui has not been idle.**_

Michelle bowed formally to all three and vanished. The dragon sighed again.

"You made a good one there, Eliza." He said in a sad voice. "I am sorry about the others."

"You know the pain that comes from losing children too." Eliza said as she stepped forward to hug the massive scaly neck. "I am sorry. I should have asked her before. Asked her advice. I didn't know... She never said."

"She wouldn't have." The dragon replied. "She will make a good Empress someday." Eliza went still and the dragon chuckled. "No, I am not predicting the future. No prophecies from me. She is a good kid. Now get on. We have a lot to do to make this work." Eliza gave the huge scaled neck another hug and vanished. The dragon gave a sad noise. "I miss 'Liza... The little girl I knew. The one who brought me chocolates."

_**They **__**do**__** grow up.**_ The Emperor replied, his own tone melancholy. _**Did you **__**have**__** to mention chocolate? Do you have **__**any**__** idea how long I have wanted chocolate?**_ _**Stuck on this blasted seat...**_

"I didn't _have_ to." The dragon said snidely. "I _wanted_ to. So... Who will you send?"

_**Who do you **__**think**__**?**_

**Aboard a unfamiliar type of starship**

"New orders!"

"Praise the Emperor! What mission, Force Commander?"

"A grand day, Sergeant! A force of traitors has been detected and it is our sacred duty to remove the stain. But the journey will be through the Warp."

"Squad Nils stands ready, sir!"

**Elsewhere**

"I wanna _do_ something!" Violet was beyond chafing. Now she was simply infuriated by the boundaries that had been placed on her. "I know I am not one of those... Callidus things now... but... This is wrong. I want to _help_!"

"And if he put traps or controls in your mind?" Abigail asked reasonably from where she was tapping keys. Violet growled and Abigail sighed. "I know it is chafing, Violet."

"No one has found anything wrong with me." Violet said weakly as she sat again and picked up a book reader. She pointedly glanced at the third person in the room. Two knelt against one wall. She wore robes instead of her warframe and was still glowing. "I mean... I am not glowing or anything." The Tenno just looked at her and Violet made an exasperated noise. "I know, I know... Sheesh. _I know._" She snapped as Two shook her head. "I just... I have always had to be active. Had to do things. This... waiting..." She slumped a bit.

"I understand." Two said quietly. "My kin are out fighting and I cannot help them. It... hurts." Violet nodded agreement and then all three froze as the door to their room opened and Michelle strode in. _Without_ Petra! "Ah... Michelle?"

"This is ultra level classification." Michelle said quietly. "The Royal Guard are making sure no one else is listening. Violet, Two...W hat is the opposite of Chaos?"

"What?" Two and Violet both chorused, but Abigail gave a small cry. Fear or...anticipation?

"Abigail?" Violet asked and then went still as _Sister_ Abigail replied from the woman's mouth.

"Is it time?" Sister Abigail asked quietly. Michelle nodded and the woman who was three beings in one body shook herself and rose. "Then yes. We will help maintain Order. Violet can help. Indeed, we will need her and Two."

"Oh?" Violet asked, her tone a bit worried.

"You will like it." Abigail replied, no... This was Ab'gal'ui. "You won't be able to keep it, but you _will_ like it. One question... How far can you shift?"

"Ah..." Violet looked at the other, her eyes wide. "Why?"

"You need a proper skintight fit to operate it." Ab'gal'ui said, Abigail's mouth moving in to a smile. "And yes, you will get to make things go boom. We need you to cover us while Two and I set the homer."

"Homer?" Violet asked, confused. "What the hell is a _homer_?"

"A big surprise for a nasty scum." Ab'gal'ui nodded to Two who looked poleaxed. "We didn't forget you either, but we did have your size. I will need your help. You and Violet are warriors. I am not. I can set it, but I cannot protect myself while doing so."

"Set _what_?" Violet demanded.

"A welcome mat."

**The battlefield**

The battle was not going well. Abrahaim was more than a match for any of the black armored forms. But there were at least fifty of them and their weapons matched his. They were fighting the Tenno, but not striking to kill, to disable. The Trinity was down, the Excalibur was fighting three chain-axe wielding berserkers at the same time as the Rhino and Bloodthirster still clashed in what was more brawl than battle. Jane had vanished, only to reappear, her shots ending enemy after enemy, never staying in one place long enough to be hit by return fire.

"Just die already!" Horus screamed as warp fire flew from his fingers at the red armored Space Marine. "Fool! You cannot stand against the Ruinous Powers!" The flying energy caught the rolling Space Marine and he went down in a heap, the black armored forms pouring bolter fire into his still form.

Then the entire group, perhaps ten of the Chaos Space Marines, were wiped away by a series of explosions. All eyes turned to where a huge spindly form was stomping it's legs into the ground. Two long square things on top of it lowered into place and started to glow as the odd robot thing turned to aim at Horus. It fired _both_ of its railguns, and the Chaos Sorcerer was hurled backwards to slam into a wall. He stared at it, stunned, but unhurt.

"Oh, I _so _have to get me one of _these_!" Violet's delighted voice came from the _Broadside battlesuit_. "_Die_, you _prick_!"

Then she cut loose.


	19. Chapter 19

**With some enemies, there is no 'Overkill'**

Violet was laughing as she lit the area up. The source of her pain and frustration howled as his slave soldiers fell in droves. Then her guns turned to him again. In the distance, Karl battled the Bloothirster and it seemed an even fight especially when Will joined in and the two Tenno forced the abomination away from the square.

"You cannot hurt me with _those_." Horus said contemptuously.

"No?" Violet asked, sounding honestly curious. "Let's _find out_!" The glow from her weapons intensified, each firing in sequence. Each tiny projectile that was sped up to a decent fraction of lightspeed slammed into the Chaos Sorcerer. Far from hurt... Horus laughed.

"Oh, Violet..." The mad Tenno said with glee. "You are such a bad girl and _bad girls_ get _punished!_" Then one of the railgun rounds hit his staff and it sparked. "What? No!" He snapped as she retargeted and all of her next several rounds slammed into his staff. "You are being silly, girl." Horus declared, purple energy suddenly surrounding him. "I have no quarrel with you. Only the Orokin."

"Considering that every human in this system is _descended_ from the Orokin..." Violet snapped right back, firing again, but this time to no apparent effect. "Then yes, your quarrel _is_ with me!" A pair of black armored forms moved to aim at her and quick as light, two blue flashes heralded their demise. "Then again, _I_ can fight back!"

"You will serve again once I have curbed this rebelliousness." Horus said firmly. He raised his hand and Violet gave a shriek of agony as power poured from his fingers and lanced into the battlesuit she was ensconced in. "Know your place, slave!" But then... it stopped. Horus stared at his hands and then...

"I think she does." Jane said quietly as she moved to block the Sorcerer's line of sight to the smoking Tau battlesuit. "It is funny, in a sad kind of way. Same lines... Geez... The exact same lines." She holstered one pistol and her free hand came up with...something in it. Horus flinched from the icon in her hand. "Do you recognize this?" Jane asked quietly as she stepped towards the Chaos Sorcerer. It was... a small golden icon. A stylized 'I' of some kind.

"What are you doing?" Horus demanded. "You suffered at their hands as well! Why _help_ them?"

"Because almost all of the ones responsible are dead." Jane's voice was still quiet and calm. "The last vestige of what happened... Last _vestiges_..." She corrected herself carefully. "Are _you_ and _me_." Eldritch purple energy flew from Horus' fingers again, but this time, golden energy met it halfway to Violet and the two forces cancelled each other out. "You will kill no more humans. I will not let you."

"You cannot stop me, Jane Talona!" Horus snapped, power coruscating around his form now. "Not alone. Tzeentch! I call forth your power! Smite these slaves of the Corpse Emperor!"

Power was suddenly everywhere. Purple energy coruscating from every surface. The Tenno withdrew a bit, shielding the still form of Brother Abrahaim as the walls came alive. Figures from nightmare stepped out of the walls. Not even remotely human, many had faces that only nightmares could manufacture. Some were blue, some were red, others flew on scaly wings and still others slithered as they advanced.

"She is not alone." A voice spoke and Horus went still as a golden form appeared beside Jane. Two wore her warframe and her weapon of choice was in hand, the Paris Prime drawn and ready. The daemons shied away from Two's golden aura, moving to surround the pair. Violet fired again, her shots obliterating two of the horrors, but more appeared, climbing down from the walls and leering as the crept forward towards the two females. "You cannot win here, Horus." Two said firmly as the daemons closed in. "All you do is prolong the inevitable."

"_I_ cannot win?" Horus chuckled maniacally. "And pray tell what will _you_ do to stop me?"

"Me?" Two asked quietly. "Nothing. I stopped you before. I destroyed your machine. I killed Nils." She shook her head. "Well, _Serene_ did." Horus stared at her and Two shook her head, in amusement this time. "What? You thought _you_ were Nils?"

"That was my name." Horus snapped. "Once. I was weak. Once. No longer."

"No." Jane replied evenly. "Your name..." She paused. "You _know_...? I forgot it. Not that memorable." She shook her head. "What was it, Two? John? Jack? James? Started with a 'J'. I remember _that_." She ignored the chittering mass that surrounded her, all of her attention was on the Sorcerer.

"I think it was Julius or Juan." Two said and then she snorted. "Serene just called him 'Jerkoff'. I think I will do the same."

"Yeah." Jane said with a shrug. "He is not that important anyway. Just a vessel for powers far beyond him no matter how loud he screeches." She shook her head and golden power slammed into a daemon that had gotten too close. It vanished with a shrill scream and the others retreated a step.

"I have no quarrel with you." Horus said sternly. "Only the Orokin." He recoiled as Jane screamed at him.

"_You __**are**__ Orokin!_" Jane shouted. "You _stole_ that warframe and think it makes you a Tenno? It _doesn't_. You are nothing but a _pretender_! A _role player_ who thinks that since you are a master _gamer_ it makes you a master at _anything_ you do. You are a _fraud_. You _are_ Orokin! The last vestige of what was done!"

"You cannot lie to me, Jane Talona." Horus said firmly.

"You wouldn't know the truth if it _bit_ you, _Jerkoff_." Two retorted. An arrow flew, impaling a Pink Horror and throwing it -and two more behind it- into a wall where they all shrieked in agony for a moment before falling still and vanishing in purple energy. "I am honestly curious though..." She said mildly. "How many of those can you control?"

"I am more powerful than you can imagine!" Horus snapped, anger flaring as he cast purple energy at the odd pair blocking him. Behind them, Violet fired again. The energy he threw did nothing. Violet's railgun shots slammed daemon after daemon into vapor. Horus... paused. "What are you doing?" He asked, concerned. "You have power that matches mine, so..." He shook his head. "A distraction. Find what they are decoying for!" He commanded and a phalanx of demons flew away from the group.

"You killed all of the humans in this colony." Two said quietly. "For that you will answer. But not to us. You have failed, Horus. Orokin lives. Eliza lives."

"You lie!" Horus spat at the glowing Tenno. The power around him grew in intensity with his rage.

"Do I?" Two asked quietly. They are probably going to be expanding anyway. Many people have been discussing the building of Hubs to allow for greater logistical support in various places. Better to have medical support and other supplied closer to the warzones. Difficult to do, but with Eliza's assistance... feasible." She shook her head. "Your attack on her galvanized her subjects. You made them angry. Bad idea. And even in if you had succeeded? They would have gone on." She shook her head again. "You lose."

"Do I?" Horus asked snidely as power erupted from his form. "Do I really?" He shouted, his words distorted. He was suddenly held up in the air and plummeted to the ground in a shower of blood and gore. Rising from it... a huge figure out of nightmare roared.

Far from cowed... Jane Talona just smiled grimly. Then she laughed. And it was amused, not scared.

"What?" The voice was undeniably Horus. But as massive as the huge winged monstrosity he now was.

"Like Two, I am curious." Jane said mildly. She waved a hand and a lesser daemon simply vanished in golden energy. She tilted her head a little. "Chaos Undivided, right? You summoned the Black Legion... A Bloodthirster and now a Greater Lord of Change. That... shouldn't be possible but you did." She shrugged. "The cultists were inevitable. Fodder for blades and guns. Sacrifices for the summonings." Her words were not question.

"And you will die!" Horus' voice was insanity. It gibbered and frothed around the square, but Jane just shook her head. The daemons did not approach past Two's golden circle.

"Will we?" Jane asked quietly. "You see... This is not the world in which Tzeentch is a deity of sorts. This is a _**very** _different world. Different powers, different rules. You are pulling two _very_ disparate realities together and that rarely works out well."

"Your blather changes nothing!" Horus' daemon voice declared. "You cannot stop me! Nothing can stop me!"

"Ah..." Jane shook her head. "There you are wrong." She shook her head sadly as the daemon slammed the ground and started towards the two females who stood in its path. Violet fired again, more lesser daemons dying under the railgun fire.

"Am I?" Horus demanded as the daemon's fists came down and shattered the golden circle around the two women. "Your souls will..." He paused as the power... did something else.. "No!"

* * *

><p>It wasn't really fair. The being who had become Horus hadn't really been the brightest of bulbs. He had been good at the Game, but nothing more. And while gamers had a great deal of imagination -it sort of went with the territory- he was more of a roleplayer than an actual wargamer. The concept of plans, contingency plans and such were not standard in role playing circles. If he had been a Dungeon Master or the Orokin equivalent of a storyteller, he might have asked himself <em>why<em> the two women simply stood for so long in front of such horrifying power.

He hadn't.

Jane held out her hand, the one with the icon in it and Two lowered a hand from her bow. It took the hand of the Mesa warframe and suddenly bright golden light seared out from both women. They both stepped back as the golden light erupted in a blaze so bright that the daemons that had surrounded them fled back several paces. Even the Greater Daemon of Change was stunned. If he hadn't been so stunned, it might have made a difference. He might have been able to counter this.

Probably not.

It seemed to take ages, but it was likely milliseconds before the golden glow faded. But what it left _behind_...

_Five_ huge armored forms stood between the two women and the hordes of Chaos. Their armor was the same color as Brother Abrahaim's but there the similarities ended. Where Brother Abrahaim's power armor suit was large, these were _larger_. Each massive suit had a twin barreled weapon in one hand that was similar to the Bolter and Bolt Pistol Abrahaim used, if larger. The other hand held a melee weapon of some kind. One had a claw like Bother Abrahaim's. One held a sword that glowed with blue energy. Two had fists that crackled with the same kind of blue energy but the last... The shimmering hammer he held was huge. Easily twice the size of a Fragor hammer, he hefted it easily in one hand. He wore no helmet, but his face was partly covered by a mask and bionics. Each left pauldron held the same bone white cross and skull. The Crux Terminatus. _Terminators!_ _Blood Angels Space Marine __**Terminators**__!_

* * *

><p>"For the <em>CHAPTER!<em>" The hammer wielding Space Marine cried, waving his hammer forward. At the sound of his voice, Jane staggered and Two held her, her glow surrounding both women. "_First Company!_ _Charge_!"

The daemon screamed as the five huge Space Marines charged into battle. They _seemed_ to move slowly. In actuality, they were moving with such grace that even Two stared in awe. The were huge, and ponderous. But graceful and _deadly_. The stunned daemon horde didn't have a _chance_. Hurricanes of bolter rounds tore through the stunned lesser forms and the few, _very_ few black armored forms that had survived Violet's storm of railgun fire. Then Two jerked as a human form simply appeared beside her.

"Violet needs to exit the battlesuit before they are done." Sister Abigail said quietly as the Tau drone that had cloaked her flew off. She laid Alicia's still form down and started working. "They will cleanse this place of all taint. Including xeno." Two looked around, but none of the daemons were looking at them. All were busy _dying_. Some were trying to flee, but they did not get far.

"Right." Two stepped back to the smoking battlesuit. "Violet. Come on. You do _not_ want to be in that when the Space Marines have time to look at it."

"Okay." The front of the machine swung up and Violet slid out of it. Two swallowed hard as the operative's body shifted a bit, taking on a more human cast. "I still _want_ one of these." She took a step and staggered. Her suit was tore and burnt. Two caught her. "I... ow?" She asked as Two half led, half carried her to where Jane was watching the slaughter. The hammer wielding Terminator was _climbing_ the Greater Daemon now, his hammer slamming holds into the unnatural skin of the monstrosity. His storm bolter had been slung so he could climb and strike. "That is... not something you see everyday..." She said weakly as Two laid her down. Sister Abigail finished what she was doing with Alicia and started scanning Violet. The drone that had hidden Abigail from sight while she laid the teleport homer flew into the battlesuit and did not come out.

"Be glad." Jane said quietly from where she stood. "Such things have haunted my dreams since..." She bowed her head as Two rose to stand by her. "Since I lost him."

"The voice..." Two said quietly. "I... Jane..."

"I don't know." Jane said quietly as the hammer wielding Terminator reached his goal. He slammed his hammer repeatedly into the skull of the Greater Daemon. It gave a long, drawn out scream and collapsed slowly. The Blood Angel hit it again and again and again as it fell. Just as it crashed to the ground, he rolled off of it, his bulk impossibly agile for something that size. Jane sighed as the Terminators finished off the last of the lesser forms and turned their storm bolters on the still quivering daemon. "My turn."

Two nodded soberly and stood as Jane stepped forward, her bolt pistol in hand.

"I am Jane Talona." The Mesa warframe said formally. "Ordo Hereticus. This..." She shook her head and golden energy wafted from the icon in her hand to sweep over the form the Terminators were aiming at. It gave a cry and then a broken Limbo warframe was lying on the ground, fluids pooling beneath it. "...is the cause of most of this mess."

"Sergeant Nils, Inquisitor." The hammer wielding Marine said calmly as he drew his storm bolter and the aim point was the Limbo. "Blood Angels Chapter."

"Right on time, Adeptes Asartes." Jane said with a nod. "You have done your chapter honor this day. You have a battle brother down though."

"Right." The sergeant nodded to one of the power fist armed Terminator. "Apothecary Fraj! See if he can be saved. Everyone else! Secure and cleanse."

"Yes, Sergeant!" The designated Terminator moved to where Abrahaim lay. The other three moved about, checking still forms and occasionally firing careful shots.

"You..." Horus' voice was weak. "You will not beat me." He tried to rise.

"_Shut **up**_, heretic." Jane snapped, her boot coming out to slam the broken Limbo back to the dirt. "Sergeant? What are your orders here?"

"Eliminate the taint." The Terminator said with a nod. "I hear battle." Indeed, the cries of the Bloodthirster were audible in the distance.

"Another daemon." Jane said with a sigh. "Our allies here were to lure or drive it away while we set the homer for you. It should vanish as soon as soon as this scum finally dies. If not?" She shrugged. "It is what we are for, no?"

"We defend the Imperium." The sergeant said with a nod. "The xenos machine?" He asked, nodding to the abandoned battlesuit. Jane smiled grimly as it _exploded_. Abigail was nothing if not thorough."I see."

"Many forces worked to aid us here, sergeant." Jane said with a shrug. "I will not compromise the Sons of Sanguinius."

"Thank you." The Space Marine said calmly. "And him?" He asked of Horus who was staying very still.

"You... will _**not**_... stop..." Horus croaked and Jane's pistol roared. The Limbo's head exploded and the rest of his warframe fell into the blood soaked dirt.

"Funny." Jane said with a sigh as she holstered her pistol. The sounds in the distance just _stopped_. "I think we just did. Sergeant, we will break out the flamers. This place must be cleansed. It should be done as soon as possible."

"My battle brothers will do a thorough search." The sergeant said with a nod. "We will leave nothing to chance."

"And I will remain here, on guard." Jane said quietly. "If the Ruinous Powers came through once, they can again." The Space Marine nodded. "I have... an odd question." The Blood Angel just looked at her. "Do you know me?"

"No." Nils said calmly. Jane nodded. "May I ask why?"

"You sound and look like someone I knew a long, long time ago." Jane said heavily. "But it was too much to hope for. Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment."

"I was found by the chapter and recruited." Nils said quietly. "I do not remember who I was before. Probably for the best. I have my duty."

"And only in death does duty end." Jane agreed. "Our allies in this place are called Tenno. They wear armor that looks vaguely Eldar, but is not. Each set is different."

"I was briefed." Sergeant Nils said with a nod. He paused and listened to his vox. "The Daemons have vanished and all of the traitors are slain. Praise the Emperor!" The other Terminators approached, the Apothecary carrying Brother Abrahaim. "Our brother lives and our enemies do _not_. A good day."

"A good day." Jane agreed. "Fare thee well, Adeptes Asartes."

"Fare thee well, Inquisitor." The sergeant said as he knelt. All but the Apothecary knelt with him. That Terminator bent under his burden to mirror his battle brothers. Then, in a flash of gold, they were gone.

Only after they were gone did Jane kneel in the bloodstained dirt and cry.


	20. Chapter 20

**Memories**

"Jane?" Two's voice was quiet as she stepped up to where the Mesa still knelt, sobbing. "I am sorry." She wasn't glowing anymore. Whatever had been done to her had died with Horus.

"Not... Not your fault, Two..." Jane said weakly. "I just... I heard the voice and I hoped. I survived the destruction of the machine, I guess it stood to reason he did too, but... if he forgot..."

"I am sorry." Two laid her hand on Jane's shoulder and Jane covered it with her own.

"I will stay here." Jane said softly. "This place must be warded now. I... need some time."

"You are not alone." Two said fiercely as she knelt to hug Jane. "Now or ever. Sister to Sister, yours in life and death!"

"Two..." Jane protested, but a cough from nearby had her looking up. Karl looked like hell, his warframe rent and torn, but he moved easily to stand nearby. "Tenno Karl... I..."

"Two is right, Jane." Karl said quietly. "You are not alone. Brother to Sister, yours in life and death."

"I... never wanted to be a warrior." Jane said, staring down at herself. "This... I was always a good shot, but... Not this. I never wanted this."

"We all seek our own ways, Tenno Jane." Karl said quietly as he looked around. The Limbo warframe lay where it had fallen. "We will not dictate to you, but we will also not leave you to suffer alone. What do we do with _this_?" He jerked his head at the fallen Limbo.

"Burn it." Jane said quietly. "As hot as you can make it. A Nova warframe would be best."

"I know of a few sisters who bear Nova frames." Karl said with a sigh. "I will have one come by."

"No need." All eyes turned to where a pair of Prime warframes strode out of a cross street. An Ember Prime and a... Nova Prime. Jasmina sounded sour. "You might have left us _something_ to do."

"Lilly?" Two asked the Royal Guardswoman who nodded and raised her hands. The Limbo warframe was suddenly lined with pinkish light. "Jane?"

"Right." Jane rose and drew her pistol again. She fired a single careful shot and the remnants of the Limbo vanished in a tiny explosion. Such a puny end to such a horrific ordeal. "I... have to stay here. Ward this place."

"Not alone." The words came from Karl, Two and Lilly. Jasmina just nodded.

"You are going to insist." Jane said stoically. Everyone nodded and she sighed. "Fine. I won't be stupid. I... have been alone too long as it is. Violet and Alicia need help though."

"So do you." Sister Abigail said quietly. "We have set scanners. You have time, Jane Talona. Rest and recover. I... will move on now as well I think."

"Must you?" Violet begged form where she lay. "I _really_ want one of those suits..." Sister Abigail sighed and did something. The human woman sank into slumber with a betrayed look on her face.

"We cannot." Jane said quietly. "Any more disturbances will attract even more unwelcome attention across the boundary. Denizens of the Warp are sensitive to such things." She looked at Abigail. "You were changed by Abrahaim, not Horus... So you will likely remain as you are. Unless you choose to change back."

"I need to think on that." Abigail said quietly. "_We_ need to think on that. For now? This battle is done. Telltales are set and keyed to you, Tenno Jane. We should go."

"Yeah." Jane said, staring at where the Space Marine who had once been her husband had vanished. "Life goes on."

"Life goes on."

**A Virtual World**

"Mitchell?" The voice was not one that Mitchell expected. It wasn't one of his captors. He jerked upright as a new form appeared in the virtual reality that served as his prison. The absolute last person he might have expected to see. Empress Eliza slumped a bit on seeing him. "I am sorry." She said sadly.

"Is this a trick?" Mitchell asked the wall. "Am I going mad?"

"No and no." Eliza replied softly. "I have access through the Caretakers. They... begged us for help. We cannot." The pilot stared at his ultimate superior and then nodded a little.

"I... see." Mitchell said quietly.

"No, you don't." Eliza sighed. "Not yet. They did save your life. But... you are going to change. You are Infested now."

"So they said." Mitchell replied, his tone listless. "I guess, for what time I had... I should be grateful."

"Yeah." Eliza sighed deeply. "Anne wants to talk to you."

"_What?_" Mitchell snapped upright from where he had slouched. "What do you mean?"

"I will let her explain." Eliza said quietly and Mitchell's eyes went huge as the form of his wife appeared beside Eliza. Anne had been crying, but her eyes lit up as she saw Mitchell. "Take what time you need, Anne." With that, she vanished.

"Mitchell!" Anne cried, throwing herself at him. He caught her and held her gently as she cried. "I... This isn't right! I... This feels... I feel..." Her words came jerky as she fought her emotions. It happened when she got stressed.

"Easy." Mitchell soothed the woman he loved as he had so many times. "It's okay, Anne. It will be okay. No matter what, no matter what happens, you know I love you."

"I know." Anne calmed a little. But she was babbling. "I... asked a bunch of people things. No one knew. I asked the girl they called Elenia some things too. She seemed a bit... confused. I asked..."

"Whoa, Anne. Breathe." Mitchell said with a grin as he hugged her gently. Anne calmed in his arms. "What did you ask?"

"Tenno can transfer between bodies if one is hurt badly. I asked if you could." Anne said calmly. Mitchell froze and Anne swallowed. "They were not sure. The Virus makes a mess of a lot of things, but they were working hard to help you. They don't know. They are looking into it."

"Anne, why would they?" Mitchell asked reasonably. "They wanted me. I have to help them now."

"No, you don't." Anne said sadly. Mitchell stared at her and Anne shook her head. "Both of the Caretakers said the same thing. Your choice. Not theirs. I want... to keep you. But... your choice. Not mine." She was babbling again.

"I don't understand." Mitchell shook his head, confused. "Anne, what do you mean?"

"I...I can't..." Anne shook her head savagely. "The words won't come. Help?" She begged. But not Mitchell. The pilot went still as Elenia appeared nearby. The Tenno he had first met wore robes and a sad expression. "Elenia... Help?" She begged.

"Only if Mitchell allows it." Elenia said quietly. Mitchell stared at the Caretaker and Elenia made a face. "We hurt you. Anne's idea sparked some ideas, but we may not be able to do it. We will try. But..." She shrugged. "There are no guarantees."

"Try _what?_" Mitchell demanded.

"Avalon has your DNA on file." Elenia said with a shrug. "Tenno can transfer between organic forms if theirs are injured beyond repair. It was just done with a Tenno named Tiana." Mitchell inhaled sharply.

"You want to _clone_ me?" Mitchell wasn't sure if horror or complete dumbfounded amazement was proper.

"No." Elenia said sadly. "We want to _help_ you. And we cannot. Your body is infected. Your mind? Not yet. But soon no matter what we do. We have to act soon. But not without your permission."

"Why?" Mitchell snapped, holding Anne away from Elenia despite her squirming.

"Because we hurt you." Elenia said quietly. "Our first and most important rule is that we only take sentient beings into the mindmass who _volunteer_." Mitchell stilled at her words and Elenia nodded. "We have no right to conscript you. We have no _right_ to press you into service. It abrogates _everything_ we are supposed to be."

"I..." Mitchell paused, undone by the simple sincerity in the Caretaker's words.

"They may be able to make me better." Anne said in a tiny voice. Mitchell went still and Elenia shook her head.

"Anne, we will do what we can for you regardless of what Mitchell chooses." The Caretaker said quietly. "You are hurting. We can help. Healer is doing what it can and is cautiously optimistic."

"Wait..." Mitchell said, stiffening. "What? Anne is on Avalon..."

"I... um..." Anne looked away and Mitchell stared at her, then at Elenia who shrugged.

"What is going on?" Mitchell demanded.

"The world has changed." Elenia said quietly. "Tenno are building hidden relay stations around the Solar System. Small, but multipurpose and as well hidden as they can be made. The first ones are repurposed Orokin communication arrays modified for stealth. Anne is on one now. So are you. " Mitchell went still and Elenia smiled. "We can actually help openly now. We are not... We expected to be reviled, to be insulted or shot at. No one has although some of the syndicates are a bit... distressing."

"Syndicates?" Mitchell asked, confused. "I don't understand."

"I know." Elenia said gently. "But Mitchell, we have time, if not a great deal of it. Talk to your mate. Then if you want... talk to us. Talk to Karl's people. Talk to anyone you want. Then make your choice. No one will pressure you. No one will dare."

"Why?" Mitchell asked, dazed by this sudden shift.

"Because Anne met a certain small dervish named Lisa and the two hit it right off." Elenia's smile became a grin. "And _Nikis_ is Lisa's self appointed protector. No one will _dare_ hurt Anne. _No one._" Mitchell stared at the caretaker and then at his mate who smiled.

"He is scary." Anne said with a shrug. "But he is nice to me and Lisa."

"I..." Mitchell hugged his mate again and she returned the embrace. "NightNova?"

"We do not know." Elenia said with a sigh. "Machines are somewhat easier to cleanse of the Technocyte Virus if we catch it in time and we did. But it doesn't wake. We could use your help." She waved a hand as he opened his mouth. "Not right now. Get reacquainted with your wife. Then tell us your choice."

"No need." Mitchell said as Anne grinned. She knew him. "If you can help Anne, I am with you."

"And you." Elenia said with a smile as she faded out. "I will tell them."

"Anne?" Mitchell asked as she hugged him tighter.

"This is virtual." Anne said with a grin as she reached for the seam of her bodysuit. "And private. You cannot infect me here. And I haven't seen my husband in _far_ too long." There were times when her disability seemed to vanish and she focused like a laser on what she wanted. This was one of them.

Mitchell shook his head. He never won arguments about this with her. He gave in gracefully.

**Vespa Relay**

"Wow..." Sara's soft word was caught up in the general murmur and lost, but Lis heard her clearly. Seeing as how she was right beside the girl...

Lis had to agree. The small space station was _packed_ with Tenno. Some going about their business. Some moving into the various virtual enviroments that served as each syndicate's representation. Each relay would have a similar virtual environment for each syndicate. Better that way. Some of the Syndicates really did not like each other and the last thing anyone wanted was firefights in the enclosed station. The security forces stood ready, but hopefully none would be needed. Tenno were generally highly disciplined anyway and most wanted this place to thrive.

Lis led Sara to an elevator and smiled under her helmet as Serene joined them, Rocky in hand. Mishka walked beside them. They could not talk about where they had been, Avalon was still considered a secret. But for now, they could visit. Other residents of Avalon, including some of the Royal Guard, would cycle through. Some would be purchasing resources for the strapped hideaway. Others would simply be on vacation from the tiny and claustrophobic station hidden in the stellar corona. Others had a different role.

Sara gave Lis' hand a squeeze and then let go. Lis sighed and nodded.

"I will still be available, Sara." Lis said quietly. "Virtual only, mind you. But they do not want me to stagnate."

"I know, Lis." Sara hugged the Nyx Prime warframe gently. "Thank you."

"I will stay for the start, Sara, then I have to get to Medical." Lis replied, gently returning the embrace. Serene smiled as she rocked her sleeping son in her arms. Mishka nodded to Sara and both girls entered a door that opened in front of them. Inside, a set of desks faced a small raised dais.

A familiar form sat at one of the desks. Abigail smiled on seeing Sara and Mishka. Two young boys eyed the three with curiosity. Serene leveled a glare at them and both faces went blank.

"Serene." Jane Talona said as she rose from her kneeling posture. "Don't scare the kids."

"We will talk later, Jane." Serene said with a nod as Sara and Mishka both sat. "For now? I need to escort Lis here to Medical."

"I don't need an escort, Serene." Lis protested as Sara and Lis both opened holographic interfaces to log in and begin their education in the Way of the Technician. Jane was a hell of a technician and only reluctantly a Warrior.

"If I don't Karl's people _will._" Serene replied without heat. "Now, _march_." She commanded.

"Yes, Ma'am." Lis said with a sigh and Sara and Mishka stifled giggles. From Jane's posture, she too wanted to laugh. Abigail just shook her head, but her mouth was twitching. Just outside she glanced at Serene. "You okay?"

"I uh..." Sereen shook her head. "No. I need to talk to Iriana, Brianna and Amelia. What happened... What I did... It still affects me. I didn't mean to kill Jane's husband, but the machine had to be stopped."

"You did not kill him." Lis said as the pair entered the brand new medical ward of the Relay and several forms in medical attire started to approach. "And you saved Jane."

"Did I?" Serene asked sadly as the medics indicated a seat nearby. Serene sat as they started to help Lis in the removal of her warframe and the first step in the long road of her healing. "Did I really?"

**Somewhere very different**

"It is done, Force Commander." Sergeant Nils said firmly as he and his squad appeared in the main teleport bay of the strike cruiser he and his people called home. "Breach is sealed and warded from the other side. Others may try it. They will _not_ like their reception." His squad vanished to their devotions and duties, the Apothecary strode off with the unconscious form of Brother Abrahaim in his hands. If he _could_ be saved, the Apothecaries _would_.

"Any problems?" The Space Marine leader of the forces aboard the tiny ship asked calmly.

"The Inquisitor there knew me." Nils said with a shrug. "Before. She did not speak of it."

"Probably for the best." The ultimate authority aboard the tiny ship said with a sigh. "You are not who you were. Our brother?"

"Alive, but hurt sorely." Nils said with a shrug. "Sir, if I may?" The Force Commander nodded. "Why me? Why did you send me? Any of the others would have been better suited. Tarkus in particular." The Terminator armor that Nils wore shifted just a little. The armor was still red, but the right pauldron was now white and showed black wings with a red teardrop in the middle. _NOT_ Blood Angels. "I obey orders, but..." He shook his head.

"The sector is no longer falling into anarchy, Sergeant." The Force Commander said with a shrug. "Captain Diomedes said the orders came from Holy Terra itself." Both the sergeant and the Force Commander bowed their heads. "Chapter Master Gabriel stopped the madness here in subsector Aurelia. It nearly cost him his life, but he did." Shame sounded in his words and the Terminator sergeant nodded, bowing his own head. None of the Space Marines of their chapter had enjoyed the battles with their traitorous kin. It hadn't been their fault, but the purges would take many years to complete. "We could always use you and your squad, but this was important."

"And our brother?" Nils asked.

"I assume that Captain Diomedes will be on the com to Blood Angels command within the day." The Force Commander said with a shrug. "How they will react is anyone's guess, but we hide no longer. Our Chapter may have been tainted, but we will not hide who and what we are. We _will_ return to the Emperor's light. It will take time, and no small amount of effort. But we _will_ cleanse our chapter from the taint and step into the light. Frankly? This was a good thing. A brother served and fell serving. We aided him. No more, no less." The sergeant nodded. "If the Blood Angels will not take him, we _will_. We know what we face and why. We will guard the breach from, this side."

"Knowledge is power." Both of the _Blood Ravens_ intoned. "Guard it well."

**Somewhere Dark**

_**So close...**_

The being known as Horus screamed as his very being was pulled in many different directions. It was only going to get worse.

_**I was so close! I can do it! I just need.**_

"Now now..." The soft, silky voice was not right. It was decidedly wrong coming from such a hulking and horrific looking form. The Chaos Space Marine wore Terminator armor and the huge misshapen claw that adorned one hand was distinctive. "You were given a task. A _simple_ task. How _hard_ is it to open a door?"

_**I...**_ Horus screamed in agony as power flayed deep into the recesses of his mind. _**Lord Abbadon, I can do it! I can deliver that entire universe to you!**_

Abbadon the Despoiler sighed deeply. "I am afraid that _I_ am not the one who you failed." Horus went still and Abbadon chuckled "Say hello to Tzeentch for me. We _will_ return to that universe. Eventually. When they least expect it. But for now? You have an appointment."

Horus was screaming as his soul was cast into the warp where a hungry form was waiting. His screams lasted for a long, long time. Then again... The Chaos God of Change was a _master_ of Time.

**Elsewhere**

_And that...as they say... is that._ The dragon said to himself as he watched the evil foulness eat the soul of the one who had caused the breach. _They will try again. But we will be watching._

_All of us..._

_We keep the Faith._

* * *

><p><strong>(That is it for this story. I... think I am going to leave the boundaries between realities ALONE for now. I don't think it would end well if I pressed them too hard with... others watching. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might get to talk to Tzeentch. Or some Space Marines. Or the Inquisition. Or a <em>dragon.<em>)**


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